Out Of Time: Pleistocene Panic
by Tygerwulfe
Summary: Post Gone. Time travel. The Scooby Gang find themselves in a place a long, long time ago, but not so far away. G?, BS, XAnya, WT, SD friendship. Just read the prologue, then decide if you want to continue. Thanks. REVIEW! COMPLETED After 5 Years!
1. Prologue: Time

Title: Out Of Time: Pleistocene Panic

_(UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

Date: 3/6/2006

I HAVE COMPLETED THIS STORY! Finally. It's taken me five years, but I've finally added the final chapter and Epilogue, as well as gone back through all of the previous chapters and done spellcheck & minor edits. I'm HAPPY with this story! It's DONE! YES!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Fanfiction.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea of amulets that control time and that... Nevermind. It will be explained later. Suffice it to say that the characters I'm using here are not mine. At all. Not a one. (Except original animal characters that may come up later.)

Summary: Spike, Buffy, and the Scoobies find themselves transported to a time long, long ago, but not so far away. And they aren't really themselves anymore... REVIEW! PLEASE?

Timeline: Set post Gone, pre As You Were.

Rating? Probably PG-13 or R, for language and violence in later chapters.

Author's Notes: My first intentional chaptered S/B fic. I have two more, but they've only gotten more chaps by popular demand. I've had this idea rolling around in my head for a very long time. Like.. years. I've always had a fascination with dinosaurs and ancient mammals (Woolly Mammoths, Smilodons, Dire Wolves, ect.) for a long time. Like, my whole life. I managed to use dinos in an Angel fic that I finished awhile back, so now, "Prepare... For the ICE AGE!". Actually, I started a similar Angel story to this on paper, titled Out Of Time: Cretaceous Chaos, but never got around to finishing it, or typing it up. If this one does well... I just might change my mind on that point. I hope you like it. And please leave a review. I promise fluffy parts, and mushy parts, and exciting parts, and scary parts. Don't be put off by the fact that you might learn something about Ice Age mammals and their contemporaries. Thank you.

**Prologue: Time**

Magic Box. Homework. Could it be anymore boring? Dawn didn't think so. She was almost done, anyway, thank God. Anya had gone to the back of the shop to inventory something, and there was no one in the main area but her. Slowly, making sure that the chair didn't creak, and that the door to the back room remained closed, Dawn slid out of her seat. Time to see what she could find today.

It was a bad habit, she knew. And a bad thing to do. But.. She couldn't stop herself. She glanced around the shop, looking for something interesting, and small enough to fit in her jeans pocket. She examined a row of amulets and stones on necklaces. Her eyes froze on a beautiful amulet. The stone was purple, like an amethyst, but if you looked at it long enough, there were other colors swirling throughout the purple, like a dance. She had to have it. Keeping her eyes on the back room door, she slipped the necklace off the knob and held it in her hand. It was even more beautiful up close. It had to be something important, and powerful. Maybe she'd find a picture of it in one of the old research books that Giles had left behind when he went back to England, and make it do something later.

At the thought of Giles, she felt a small wave of guilt, and a not so small one of loneliness. He'd left so quickly this time, she hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. She missed him. With Buffy always out working or patrolling lately, and Willow still upset about Tara breaking up with her, sometimes Dawn felt like she might as well be the only one living in the Summers household. And, to make matters worse, Spike was so caught up patrolling with Buffy, EVERY night, that even he, her best friend, hadn't been spending time with her. She slipped the necklace in her pocket and walked back to her homework. Sighed. There were times she wished that everyone would just be together again. Like it was before Buffy died. Spike had hung out with her, Giles was still around, and Buffy didn't ignore her all the time. Now... It was like no one had time for anyone else. No one, except her. No time to be a family anymore. With another deep sigh, she went back to Algebra.

Buffy stood outside Spike's crypt, debating going in. Sure, he'd kicked her out the other day, but that was probably because he was sore at her for bugging him in front of Xander when she'd been invisible. Yeah, it had been fun, and no, she didn't feel the least bit bad about it, but still. There was no need for him to get all... bent out of shape. Humph. She'd show HIM cheating. She'd cheat him right through the wall the next time. And there would be a next time. She had no doubt about that. He couldn't refuse her, after all. He loved her.

She laughed to herself. There was no denying it now. He'd proven that he loved her. More times and in more ways than she could count. Still, it was still kind of funny to think about. She could see why Xander had laughed the last year when she'd brought up the subject. She'd been too busy being disgusted to see the humor in it, but now? It was funny. Spike, her mortal enemy, the one person left who hated her with all his being, had fallen in love with her. And she'd never even been nice to him before! And she! Well.. she.. didn't love him, exactly. Not the way he wanted, at least. But she did care. She wasn't always sure why, but she cared. Maybe even love/cared, but it wasn't the same. Still... every time she was with him... He said it. When they made lo- Had sex, he said it. When she left, when she came back. It was always the first and last thing he said to her, whether or not it was always verbal. His eyes could sometimes speak more eloquently than his voice. Or other assorted parts.

Started to open the door and go in. Tell him she forgave him for tossing her out the other day. Tell him that she understood that he'd just been freaked out by her invisibleness. Or, better yet, show him. Yeah. March right in there, pin him to the wall, and give him a good example of just how much she'd forgiven him. But. She paused again. She hadn't been home much, lately. She'd be at work at the StupidMeat Pukefest, or letting Spike pound her into the floor. Or a wall, or the couch. Hell. The time she'd been invisible was practically the only time they'd ever been in a bed!

Shake it off. Go home, her little internal voice of reasoning said. There'll be other nights. Spend time with Dawn. See how Willow's doing. Call Xander and check up on the wedding plans.

Shut up, little internal voice, she snarked mentally. I want Spike now. Home later. Besides. There's plenty of time to be with Dawn. She's always around. All of them are.

So is Spike, the voice reminded her.

She didn't have a response to that. There was time. But then there wasn't. Never enough time.

Willow was in her room, surfing the net the old-fashioned, magic-free way. She missed Tara. But, progress! Three weeks without one spell. Not even a tiny one to wake her up instead of that annoying alarm clock. She was proud of herself. And knew Tara would be too. They were going out that evening. Not a date, really. Just coffee, and talking. Maybe cuddling later, if it went well. Things were looking up. If only there were more time in the day to do everything she had to do before getting ready.

"Can this get any worse?", Xander complained to no one, since he was home alone. "Stupid seating charts. Stupid caterers. Stupid.. stupid.. STUPID EVERYTHING!" He got up, moved to the other side of the table, imitating his bride-to-be. "Of course D'Hoffren has to sit near the food! He loves gruel stuffed bell peppers!"

Walked to the other side of the table, said in his normal voice, "Honey. If D'Hoffren sits there, my aunt will wind up near the alter, and she's an atheist!"

Switched sides again. "But Xander, if we switch Halfrek and your cousin Celia around, then everyone will be able to see through Blerom's head! You know he hates that!"

Back to the other side. "Ok. Fine, but now Buffy's sitting with a bunch of Ewlar Demons, and I don't think they'll like her." He gave up the two sided conversation. "What I need," he said, speaking to the seating chart. "Is more time. Just a couple more days. God, if I'd known it would be this hard, I'd have sooner invited Spike's family than mine. Especially since he doesn't HAVE one!" Ran a hand through his hair. More time. He needed more time.

Giles sighed, reclining in a chair in his new flat. It was.. nice to be back home again. Really. He didn't miss everyone so badly that it was all he could do not to pick up the phone and- Put it down again. It wouldn't do to be making international phone calls on a daily basis, now would it? No. Of course not. His problem now was that he just had too much time on his hands. And he was desperately bored. When he was in Sunnydale, he'd always had something to do. Now, it just seemed like all he did was sit around and read. He liked reading, sure, but enough is enough. What does one do when there's simply too much time?

"Ok.. " Spike closed his eyes and opened the dictionary, dropping a finger onto a random word. This was a game he'd invented some time ago. He called it the Unliving Thesaurus. Open the dictionary to a random page, point at a random word, and then have to come up with as many synonyms in thirty seconds as he could. He only did it when he was incredibly bored. Like now. Opened his eyes. And the lucky word is... 'braggart'. Sat down, took a deep breath, and turned over the little thirty second timer. "Blower, blowhard, boaster, braggadocio, bragger, gasbag, puck fist, rodomont, rodomontade, vaunter." Glanced at the timer. Still time. "Bluffer, blusterer, loudmouth, ranter, raver, windbag!" Ha. Finished just as time ran out. Counted off in his head. Sixteen. A new record. Closed the dictionary and sighed.

He wished the Slayer would come over. He'd sensed her outside, not too long ago, but she must still be mad at him for throwing her out when she was invisible. Well? He'd had to! She was using him to escape. He had known that. But to feel her, hear her, smell her, taste her, and not see her? It brought home a painful reality. The reality that she'd always be invisible to him. He'd never see her look at him the way he longed for her to. She was with him, but not really there. Surrounding him, but making him hollowed out inside.

His undead heart ached for her. He knew what it was like to dig out from a coffin. Hell, he still had nightmares about it when the sheets got wrapped to tight. But to be pulled from heaven.. Where she'd most likely been with her mum. At peace. Finally. He didn't pretend to understand how that felt. He just offered himself, hoping that he could some how make at least some of the hurt go away. Maybe he did, and maybe he didn't, but there was a time in every recovery when you had to stop taking medicine all the time, and just allow your body to finish the disease. Otherwise you become dependant on the drug you use to make the symptoms go away. And he didn't want to be the Slayer's drug. He wanted to be her lover. Her mate. He'd tried to say it before, but couldn't get it out, so he'd rushed on to the next thing he could think of: Keep the drug away from her. So he'd thrown her out.

Now, all he was left with was time. Too much time. And far too alone. Vampires are social creatures by nature. They're not meant to be solitary. It was never good. He was beginning to miss... well.. everyone. Snort. Even Harris, damnit. Not that he'd ever admit it.

Too much time. He sighed, and picked up the dictionary again. Oh. How appropriate. 'Lonesome'. Sighed, and flipped over the timer. This one would be easy.

Dawn came home to an empty house, as was becoming the norm. She didn't even bother hiding the amulet that she was now wearing around her neck. Went upstairs to change. Buffy would be home soon, unless she wasn't. Willow was out with Tara, which probably meant all night, so scratch that thought. She stood in front of her mirror, examining how the amulet looked on her. The swirling colors were even more beautiful now, she thought. And they made the purple amulet seem to glow. She lifted it without taking it off, rubbing her thumb absently on it's smooth surface.

She fished her schedule out of her backpack, and looked at the permission slip that was sticking out of it. Huh. Good luck finding someone to sign that before the museum trip next week. She held the slip up, reading about the new Hall Of Ancient Mammals that they were going to have. Ooh. Mammoths, Mastodons, Smilodons, Dire Wolves, Woolly Rhinos. It was going to be so cool, and she was going to miss it, just because her stupid sister didn't have enough stupid time to sign a stupid paper.

"We always need more time," she muttered, staring at the permission slip in one hand while still rubbing the amulet with the other. "I won't get to see the Ancient Mammals, just because everyone's out of time. Well, I've had it with the lot of them. Buffy, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Spike, AND Giles! We're supposed to be a family, but no one has any time to be one anymore! Screw them. Screw them all." Her rant died down. With her attention still on the permission slip (how does one go about forging a signature, anyway?), she failed to notice that the amulet now was glowing a purple and gold color, much brighter than before. The images from the permission slip were reflected in the stone. Dawn snorted one last time, then yelled at the top of her lungs, "WHY ARE WE ALL OUT OF TIME!"

The amulet glowed extremely brightly, and a flash lit the room. When it dimmed, Dawn, and the amulet, were gone. Simultaneously, an identical flash of light surrounded two women talking in a coffee shop, one woman and one man in a heated discussion, one woman walking determinedly through a cemetery, one man sitting alone in his flat, and one vampire who was just about to open his fridge. When the light faded, ALL of them were gone.

Eight voices shouted in a void, swirling, spinning, multicolored lights flashing all around them. Then, their voices mixed with roars, howls, trumpets and bleats, sounds that no living human had heard for thousands of years. The void and the now totally mixed sounds swirled faster and faster, as if they were in a giant, cosmic toilet and God had just flushed. Faster, faster, smaller, closer together, until finally... It all faded to black. Silence.

TBC...

Author's Notes 2: Yay! Cool set up, huh? I liked it. Well, I wrote it, so I'm allowed to like it. I know the last thing Dawn said/yelled were a little strained, but I needed something. It's the best thing I could think of. Well? Review and tell me if you'd like to know exactly what happened, and where, when, and what the Scoobies are now. :-)


	2. Chapter 1: Waking Up

Title, Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See Prologue.

Author's Notes: Ok, this is for the person who thought that this might not work out. I don't write anything unless I have the whole majority of the plot planned out. Rest assured that the characters CAN communicate with each other. As for the spell, go back over what Dawn said at the end of the Prologue. There's a hint in there as to what will end the spell.

**Chapter 1: Waking up**

Spike woke up slowly. When had he fallen asleep? The last thing he remembered was going to the fridge for a drink. And now he was... Where the hell was he, anyway?

He raised his head and looked around, blinking in an effort to clear his vision. Ok. Take stock. One, he was not in his crypt, he was outside. Good thing it was cloudy. And two, he was on the ground. So, the first step, obviously, was to get up.

He'd been lying on his side, so he rolled onto his stomach. His body felt strange. not normal. He shook his head and licked his lips, then froze at a strange sensation. Licked again. Why was his upper lip hairy? Vampires don't need to shave.

He tried to move into a sitting position, but his legs wouldn't bend the way that they were supposed to. This was thoroughly confusing, and he still was feeling dizzy and half awake, which didn't help at all. He came to rest, sitting in a way, leaning forward and supporting half his weight on his hands. Raised a hand, intending to feel the strange hair on his lip, but froze before he got that far.

This is not right, his still sleep addled mind informed him. I have hands. That is a paw. He wiggled his fingers experimentally, and the toes on the paw moved. That woke him up the rest of the way.

"What the bloody...", he started, but trailed off when he heard what had actually come out of his mouth. A growling bark. And yet.. he'd heard his own voice, as well. The words had to be projected mentally, he realized. Telepathically. And his actual voice... was a bark. "Well... This is not good." The words 'not good' did not even begin to cover it.

He held up his paw again, examining it. Grayish white fur, mostly, turning into more of a silver color as it went up his arm.. uh.. leg. But it was the size of the paw that really interested him. It was huge. Like... frying pan sized, at least. There were four toes, and a dew claw. At the end of each toe, there was a sharp, black claw.

He licked his lips again, using his tongue to examine the teeth in his long snout. He could see his snout slightly, if he crossed his eyes. Licked again, paying close attention to the canines, especially. They hung down, beyond his top lip. Not teeth, he realized, and better than fangs. Saber teeth. There was even a special notch in his lower lip for them to rest in.

He snapped his toothy jaws a couple of times. Hmmm. Not as fast as his vamp reflexes, but close. And knowing that he still at least had fangs, albeit fangs that were about ten times the size of his normal ones, but fangs, never the less, made him feel a little better about his current predicament.

Okay, so he was a dog. Some kind of mutant, saber-toothed dog. That probably meant either a spell, or that the hot wings that he'd had for breakfast had been in the fridge too long. But, living on a Hellmouth, the spell made more sense. "Well, no real problem," he said to himself, standing to all fours. He ignored the yips and growls that his mouth made, and focused on the mental sound of his own voice. "I'll just go find Red or Tara, and get them to re...verse..."

It was then that he looked at his surroundings for the first time. Really looked. He wasn't in his cemetery, as he had originally thought. In fact, it didn't even look like he was in Sunnyhell anymore. He was on a grassy plain that seemed to stretch for an eternity in three directions, and run into some mountains in the distance to the east. There were trees, but they seemed rather small. Either that, or he was a lot bigger than he'd originally thought. But it wasn't the area that was the real surprise, it was the inhabitants.

About half a mile away from him, there was a herd of animals lumbering along. Big animals that resembled elephants wearing full body toupees. No. Not elephants, the little part of his mind that liked watching the Discovery Channel told him. Mammoths. Woolly Mammoths. And that creature behind the herd, feeding on the crushed grasses that the Mammoths left behind? That was a Woolly Rhinoceros.

He just stood there, his mouth hanging open as if he was panting, unable to move. It was then that he heard a rustling in the tall grass behind him. He whirled around, an involuntary growl slipping from him, and tensed his body for an attack. He felt the fur along his back stand on end and his tail.. His tail? That was new... Bristled out as well. "Who's there?", he barked at the grass.

Buffy knew from the moment that she woke up that she wasn't exactly what she'd been when she'd... what? Passed out? Got hit on the head? Something had caused her to fall asleep on the way back to Spike's crypt. And when she woke up, she had a fur coat. And fangs. She couldn't forget the fangs. She'd been near a stream, so as soon as she figured out that she had to walk on all fours, she'd gone over and checked out her reflection. The creature staring back at her was anything but human.

Golden brown eyes in a feline face. Small ears that twitched and turned, following every sound she heard. A short but powerful snout with a large pinkish red nose, and twin knives hanging from her mouth where her canines should have been. It was her, but the reflection.. the body was that of a Smilodon. A saber-toothed cat. Her reaction to this realization was quite human, however. She screamed at the top of her lungs. But the sound that came from her was the roar of the Smilodon.

It took a few minutes for Buffy to compose herself, and try to look at this analytically. Ok. She was an extinct animal, and there was a stream where the Johansen's large concrete angel should have been. She looked around and was confronted with a similar sight to what Spike was witnessing not too far away. Mammoths, Woolly Rhino. And.. a scent. What was that smell? It made her fur stand on end, the short mane that was on her neck bristled out and a strip of fur stood up all along her back.

She crouched, the instincts of the Slayer and Smilodon complementing each other perfectly. She crept toward the smell that the Smilodon identified as an enemy. She made almost no sound as she approached the creature standing in the grass not too far away. It was a wolf. But not a normal one. This one was as big as her. And taller, due to his longer legs. A memory of a long ago Earth Sciences class floated up. Dire Wolf. That was this creature's name. The largest wolf ever to live, the size of a VERY large dog. Well, damn. That meant that she was as big as a large dog too, now didn't it? He was just standing there, staring at the herd of Mammoths.

Well, that wolf wasn't going to kill any Mammoth calves while she was there. She crouched and prepared to spring, wiggling her body to tense her muscles. This accidentally caused her to move some grass.

The wolf whirled around and barked at her, but there was something else. A voice. Spike's voice. She stood up. "Spike?"

The wolf's blue eyes got big, and he took a step back. "Buffy? Slayer, where are you?" He cocked his head and looked into the grass. He must have spotted her then, cause he gave a yelp and jumped backwards. "Bloody hell! Demon cat!"

Buffy laughed and stepped out of the grass so he could see her. "Nope. Slayer Smilodon." She stared at him. "I didn't call you a demon dog, you know." She walked a slow circle around him, taking in the muscles rippling under his silver coat. "Pretty colors."

He turned his head, his tail wagging slightly at the complement. "Thanks. You look good in gold, Slayer. But fur is out of style."

Snort from the Smilodon. "Like you can talk." She looked around. "Anyone else here? Or are we the only ones?"

He shook his head, a very human gesture from the great wolf. "Not that I've seen. But then again, I've only been awake for about ten minutes."

She nodded. "Yeah. Me too." She gazed at the Mammoth herd. "God, Spike. Where the hell are we?"

Spike walked over to stand beside her. "I think the more appropriate question is, when the hell are we?"

She looked up at his wolf eyes, which somehow had stayed the same beautiful blue as normal. "That's what scares me."

Giles had a predicament. What exactly does one do with a trunk and tusks? It hadn't taken him long to figure out what had happened. It had been obvious from the moment that he realized that he was twenty feet tall, had a trunk, and was covered in a thick, shaggy red-brown fur coat. It had taken awhile to get used to seeing with eyes that were now on the sides of his head, but he was rather well adjusted after the first few minutes. His current problem was what to do with the trunk that kept dangling between his front legs and tripping him up when he walked. Finally, he lifted it, which was surprisingly easy, for it moved almost like a human arm, with more flexibility, and draped it over one of the fifteen foot curling tusks that protruded from his mouth. This kept it out of his way, even if it did look slightly silly.

He was near a Mammoth herd, but the scents told him that the herd was comprised of adult females and young. Knowing a little about elephant behavior, he reasoned that he was a large male, who should keep to himself unless one of the females went into heat. Not that he had any plans of mating with a Mammoth, in the first place. It was just a good idea to stay away, because the females might attack what they perceived as a rogue male threat to their calves.

Deciding that it would be safer to move further away from the herd, he struck out toward a nearby stream. Maybe a drink of water would help. When he reached the stream, he paused, confronted with yet another 'mammoth' problem. He knew that elephants drink by sucking water up their trunks, and then spraying it into their mouths, but that went against every human instinct in his mind. Deliberately suck water up your nose! It was nuts. However, the alternative was dehydration, which wasn't anymore comforting than drowning while drinking. He stuck his trunk in the water, and sucked a little. To his surprise, it only filled up a little ways, and then wouldn't allow anymore water. Of course! A safety precaution. The Mammoth's instincts wouldn't allow him to suck up more than he could swallow. He curled his trunk around and sprayed water in his mouth. At least, he meant to. What he actually did was soak his front legs.

"Bloody hell." This was going to be harder than he thought.

Willow and Tara had awakened together and found themselves in the bodies of Dinofelis', the terrible cat. Think leopard with three inch saber teeth. Willow's first words were, "I didn't do it! I swear."

Tara shifted on her four feet. "Honey, I know you didn't do it. You've been with me all evening." She looked around. "Which seems to be day again."

Willow turned around. "Oh. My. God. Tara? What looks like an elephant covered in shag carpeting?"

"I don't know. A Mammoth or something?"

Willow walked up next to Tara, and pressed their bodies together, forcing the witch to turn and look the way she was looking. "Is that a Mammoth?"

Tara's jaw dropped. There was a Woolly Mammoth, apparently taking a bath, standing near a stream. The Mammoth slowly, and very deliberately, put it's trunk in the water, then curled it up, and sprayed the water, getting most of it in his mouth this time. To the surprise of the ex-lovers, they heard Giles' voice. "HA! Got it that time. I'm getting better at this."

The two Dinofelis looked at each other, then ran toward the Mammoth. "GILES!", Willow called. "Giles! It's us! Willow and Tara!"

The Mammoth looked up and took a step back, raising his trunk and shaking his tusks at them. "Get back, you animals, or I'll..." He paused. Trunk came down. "Willow? Tara?"

The two cats cleared the stream in a single leap and ran over, nuzzling the Mammoth's soaked forelegs. "Giles!", they said in unison.

Giles touched each of them with his trunk without thinking. "Willow, Tara.. You're.. Cats?"

"Dinofelis, Tara says," Willow informed him. She cocked her head. "But I thought Dinofelis weren't contemporary with Mammoths."

Tara shook her head and looked up at Giles. "They weren't. One of us is where we shouldn't be."

Giles started to say something, but was interrupted by several loud yelps of surprise coming from the grass not too far away. All three turned to look.

Having no idea how they'd get home, and not knowing what else to do, Buffy and Spike had just started walking back the way she'd come. They intended to see if Spike had a reflection in the stream. The closer they'd gotten to the stream, they'd both picked up on low rumbling sounds, and what sounded like voices from far away. Giles, Willow, and Tara.

Excited, the pair had begun to run, keeping pace with each other perfectly, and shot out of the grass at the same time, coming face to face with a charging Giant Hyena and a Wooly Rhino, and crashing into each other about twenty feet from the Mammoth and two Dinofelis. They went down in a tangle of fur, claws, fangs, and horns.

"Get off me! Get off!", the Hyena yelled. In Xander's voice.

"I'm not ON you!", Anya's voice came from the snorting Rhino.

"Bloody hell! You are on ME!", Spike yelled from where his wolf body was pinned beneath the Rhino's hind leg.

Buffy hopped sideways, clear of the pile, then tried to help Xander shove Anya to her feet and off of Spike. "Easy, guys! Don't squash him!"

"Ohh..", Spike moaned. "Too late."

With some work, they managed to get the Rhino to her feet. By then, Giles, Willow, and Tara had made their ways over to the group. "Is everyone alright?", Giles asked, his thunderous footfalls shaking the ground slightly.

Buffy's golden brown eyes went wide. "Giles!" The Smilodon leaped at the Mammoth, and did her best to wrap her forelegs around one of his. "I missed you. We missed you."

Willow looked at Xander, and promptly started laughing. "Oh god! A Hyena! I can't believe it!"

Xander snorted and took a step toward her. "Not funny. I know I'm a stupid Hyena, ok? Anya told me." He glanced down at the still prone Spike on the ground. "Yeah. Sure. HE gets a really cool looking wolf, and I wind up a Hyena. Wasn't it enough to be possessed by one? Now I have to BE one?"

Spike moved a little. "If anyone cares, I'm flattened, here."

Giles took one step toward him, reached down with his trunk, and felt over the wolf for injuries. "Nothing's broken, Spike. Get up."

"I had a RHINO on top of me, and nothing's broken?"

Giles sighed, and used his trunk to pick the wolf up and stand him to his feet. "Yes. Nothing. See?"

Spike shook himself. "Well. I guess a little of my usual resiliency passed on to this body." Gave a half glance at the Slayer, who became instantly fascinated with a mat of fur on Giles' left front leg. He looked at each of them in turn. "Wait a minute. Everyone's here, so where's Lil' Bit?"

Worried glances ran through the group. Giles cleared his throat. "There's no way to know if she was even pulled in with us. She may not even be here."

"Oh god," Buffy said, sitting down. "She's back in Sunnydale, all alone, and we're not there, and we have to get back and make sure that she's-"

"Here I am," Dawn's voice came from the grass. Everyone turned to see a miniature version of Buffy step out from behind a rock. A juvenile Smilodon, wearing something around her neck. "Hi."

Spike was the first to react. He trotted over and bumped the kitten with his snout. "Hey, Bit. We were just thinkin' about you."

She gave him a Smilodon grin. "Yeah. I heard." Nuzzled his snout. "Well, I wanted to see the Ancient Mammals exhibit, but this is a bit much."

The others walked over and took their turns nuzzling and bumping at Dawn. Willow was in the middle of saying that they needed to figure out how they'd gotten there before they could get home, when she noticed the amulet that was still around Dawn's neck. "Dawnie, where did you get that?"

If it were possible, the youngest Summers would have paled. "Uh.. I found it. Why? What is it?"

Anya lumbered over and looked at the amulet closely with one nearsighted rhino eye. "A Time Shifter." She snorted. "I should have known. It grants wishes through time travel. At least, that's what it's supposed to do." She took a step back and eyed Dawn. "Did you wish something while touching it? Maybe while thinking about a certain time period?"

Dawn's yellow eyes grew wide. "I wished that everyone had more time, so we could be a family again. And that Buffy would be around to sign my permission slip so that I could go to the museum next week."

Spike sat down and scratched at his ear with a hind paw. "Well, this is just great. You got your wish, Bit. We've got about twelve thousand years before you have to be back in school."

Dawn looked at all of them in turn. "I didn't know, really! I just wanted us to be together! I'm sorry." She looked at Anya. "How do we get home?"

The Rhino shook her head. "I sell those, but I only know what's in the inventory description."

Tara spoke up. "I think.. I think I've read about these before. The spell will break eventually, but whether or not we get home depends on Dawn."

Dawn gaped at the Dinofelis. "What? Me?"

Tara nodded. "You have to feel that your wish has been fulfilled. Otherwise, when the spell breaks, we'll be stuck here." She motioned at the amulet, which was glowing gold. "When it stops glowing, the spell will be broken."

"How long?", Giles asked.

"I have no idea. That's a pretty big amulet. It may be as little as two days, or as long as six months. I do know that if we do get back, we will return to the exact same moment when we left with no time having passed."

"That's a relief," Xander said. He looked around. "So, this is like a vacation to the ice age, then."

"Some bleedin' vacation," Spike muttered. "I've got a question. Other than the Rhino and the Mammoth, we're all predators, right?"

Nods all around.

"Well, then. I don't see any fast food joints around, so what are we going to eat?"

They all looked at each other, then simultaneously, their heads turned to a small herd of Megaloceros, giant deer. Buffy shook her head. "No. There's got to be another way."

Spike snorted at them. "Starve then. I'm going hunting." He slipped into the grass and headed for the herd.

Xander looked at Buffy. "You don't think he'll really kill one of them, do you?"

She shook her head. "I wish I knew. The Dire Wolf doesn't have a chip. There's nothing stopping him this time."

They all turned to watch, as Spike slunk through the grass in the direction of the Megaloceros herd. Kill or be killed. Hunt or be hunted. Spike knew it better than any of them. Maybe he was right. Buffy got up. "I'm going with him. Make sure he doesn't get himself killed." She went into the grass, disappearing after the wolf. One by one, Xander, Willow, and Tara followed her.

Spike was surprised when Buffy came up beside him as he crouched, watching the herd. "So. How do we do this."

Spike glanced at her. "Glad to see you're joining me, Slayer." He turned his attention back to the herd. "I'm tryin' to find one that's weak, or sick, or something, to make it easier to kill."

A Hyena, and two Dinofelis came up on Buffy's other side. "So," Xander asked. They were all keeping their mouths shut and allowing their mental link to work to it's fullest. "How do we kill a deer?"

Spike ignored him, his blue eyes locking on a young fawn that had wandered away from it's mother. "That one." Gestured with a paw.

Tara looked at him. "The fawn? That's like... killing Bambi!"

He gave her a level look. "None of the adults are sick or weak, and we aren't experienced enough in these bodies to know that we can take one. The fawn is the only logical choice." He focused on the fawn again. "Fan out, and make a big circle around the fawn, then close in." Looked at the Hyena. "Harris. When I say, 'now', I want you to run out, make as much noise as you can. Try to get the herd to run in the opposite direction from the fawn."

Xander nodded, glad that he wouldn't have to actually kill the fawn. It did look like Bambi. Albeit Bambi the size of a compact car, but still Bambi. He headed off to get into position.

Spike looked at Willow and Tara. "You two run the fawn toward Buffy and me." Looked to Buffy. "You pounce on it, pin it with your weight. I'll take care of the rest."

All three girls felt slightly sick to their stomachs, but agreed. They all took their places. Spike waited for the fawn to move a little closer to him, until it was on his mental "X". There. Showtime. "NOW!"

Author's Notes 2: Ha. I told you I knew what I was doing. How'd you like this chap? Huh? Pretty cool? Funny? Sucked? Tell me? Thank you.


	3. Chapter 2: To Hunt, Or Not To Hunt

Summary, Disclaimer, ect: See Prologue.

Author's Notes: I like to answer any questions that reviewers give me, and since you're one of my favorite reviewers, Claudia79ad, I couldn't ignore you! (Oh, did you ever read the end of The Heart Of The Matter? It's up now. I don't remember if I saw a review on what you thought of the end.) So, "How come Anya and Giles aren't predators?" My answer to this is that every animal to me symbolizes the person.

When I think of Giles, a Mammoth always comes to mind. It's obviously a strong animal, but it's true strength is very understated. It doesn't like to use it's true power unless it is pressed into it. To me, that's a lot like Giles.

Anya is like a Rhino because she's very blunt, and to the point. Pun intended.

Xander is a Hyena for obvious reasons.

I'll continue this to answer your next question. "And why are Willow and Tara the same animals and Spike and Buffy are different ones? Is it because W&T are both witches and S&B are human and vampire? Or is it just cause you ran out of animals?"

Well, actually, you're pretty close. Willow and Tara are both Dinofelis, beautiful cats with small saber teeth, because I find them very similar normally. And usually their true powers are very understated, like the Dinofelis' teeth. (Two To Go, and Tabula Rasa aside.) And I want to convey that through my portrayal of them. So it was either Dinofelis, or Cave Bears. I like the Dinofelis better.

Spike is a wolf, partially because he's my favorite character and my favorite animal is the wolf, but mostly because of the similarities between wolf lifestyles and vampire lifestyles. Both hunt in packs and alone, but are inherently social, and will even cling to a group of humans if separated from their packs. (Do you see where I'm going with this?)

As for Buffy being a Smilodon, it's because she reminds me of one. Fiercely protective of her family, and doesn't tolerate change too well. (Climate change is thought to be the cause of the Smilodon's extinction.) As for making W&T the same and S&B different, there was method to that as well. And yes, it is the human/human vs. human/vampire thing, partially. But, it's also to get a point across to Buffy later on. I can't really say anymore without giving my S/B plot away. ) I hope this helped, Claudia79ad.  
-Tigerwolf

**Chapter 2: To Hunt, Or Not To Hunt**

On Spike's command, Xander ran out of the grass, barking, yipping and yowling at the top of his lungs. For good measure, he was also yelling telepathically, even though their earlier conversations seemed to prove that the animals were either unable to hear their speech, or simply oblivious to it. "Yaaaaghh! Run! Run, you big, huge, gigantic venison steaks! I am the mighty hunter, here to devour you!"

Spike shook his head. Pointless? Yes. But it made him feel better. He watched as Willow and Tara shot out of the grass, moving low to the ground, and came behind the fawn, cutting it off from the rest of the herd, letting out twin roars that could have awakened the dead. The fawn bleated in terror and turned to run from the two attacking Dinofelis, straight toward Buffy.

Buffy, for her part, was really not relishing the idea of doing her part in the murder of the fawn. She glanced at Spike, and saw the intent in his eyes. He was focused. He could do this. Well, if he could do it, so could she. She hadn't found anything that he could do that she couldn't yet... Well, there was that one thing, but now was really not the time to be thinking about that. They were different species, anyway. Was that even possible? Well, technically, they were different species before, just not as... obvious. And- Whoops, missed the signal.

She leaped out of the grass and barely managed to sideswipe the fawn. Thankfully, her speed was enough to knock it down, and she had the presence of mind to get on top of it. She held the struggling fawn down, her claws digging into it's flesh and drawing blood. The fawn screamed. Actually screamed, almost sounding like a human. Buffy's eyes went wide, but she didn't release it. By that time Tara and Willow had joined in the struggle to keep their prey down. Where the hell was Spike!

The scream had startled him, frozen him in his tracks. He shook himself. He was the predator, the fawn was the prey. Don't think about all the times that you've watched Bambi with Dru, his mind said, forcing his paws to move again. Just don't. It's food. Only food. Don't think about that doe standing over there watching you. Don't think about what you're doing. Just do it.

By then, he'd reached the group and was helping pin the fawn with his weight on it's shoulders and neck. He licked his lips, focused on the fawn's neck, finding the jugular vein. One bite, and his saber fangs would do the job. Just lean over, fit your jaws around the throat, clamp and rip all in one motion. Nothing to it. Nothing at- The fawn was looking at him. One huge, brown eye was focused on him, terror, and... acceptance, shining in the dark depths. An intelligence. Oh, god, no.

He had his jaws positioned around it's throat, but couldn't move. The deer's life was in his paws, and he couldn't do it. This was what he'd worried about when he'd thought that the chip didn't work anymore. When it came right down to it, could he kill again? No. Not could. Would. Would he kill again. It was a choice. And his hesitation showed that he was struggling internally with that choice. They had to kill to eat. That was the way of the world, even twelve thousand years in the past. Right?

Buffy, Willow, and Tara watched Spike from their points on the fawn's body. He seemed frozen, his jaws clamped around the deer's throat, but not moving. His eyes were clouded, and his tail had curved up between his legs. Buffy cocked her head and debated saying something to pull him from his internal thoughts, but decided against it. Whatever decision he was making was obviously hard to him. Maybe he couldn't decide between strangling the fawn and ripping it's throat out.

Spike closed his eyes, preparing to finish the fawn, then froze. Changed his mind. Released the deer and backed away, tail still between his legs. "Let him up."

The three felines looked at their canine companion. "What?", Buffy asked. "We have him!"

Spike snarled and barked the order again. "I said, let him go."

Confused, the three cats got off the fawn and backed away. The fawn leaped to his feet, the claw marks on his flanks and sides bleeding slightly, and turned to go back to his mother, who was still standing not too far away. But it stopped. Turned. For an instant, the eyes of predator and prey locked and the deer and wolf stared at each other. A message passed between them. 'I won't forget this.' It was only an instant, then the fawn turned and ran to it's mother's side and the pair took off it the direction of the herd.

Spike sighed heavily, then turned to walk back into the grass, leaving three very confused cats behind him. So long, Bambi, he thought. Have a good life.

Buffy looked at Willow and Tara. "Can you guys go find Xander? Make sure those monster deer didn't trample him?" They nodded and ran off after the Hyena. Buffy jogged into the grass and followed Spike by scent, since he'd gotten ahead of her. When she caught up to him, he was laying by the base of a tree, his head pillowed on his forepaws and tail wrapped around him. "Spike?" He didn't answer, so she walked closer and poked him with a paw. "Spike. Talk to me."

"Couldn't do it."

She sat down in front of him and cocked her head down to look at him. "Yeah. What's up?"

The wolf gave a deep sigh. "I don't know. Bloody hell. A vampire that can't kill, even if he wanted too, suddenly given the chance again... You'd think I could do it."

"Maybe you're just out of practice."

Slight head shake. "No. I just couldn't do it. I was ready, and I could feel it's blood, pulsing through the vein that my fangs were pressing into, and I was excited, and ready, and then it looked at me." Another deep sigh. "And I couldn't do it."

If she'd been human, she would have smiled, but, being a Smilodon, she just laid down in front of him so that their noses were less than three inches apart. "Fell for the big deer eyes, huh?"

He blinked, then focused on her. "Not funny, Slayer. I'm beginning to think that there's something wrong with me."

She sat up and cocked her head. "Why? Because you couldn't kill an innocent animal?"

He snorted. "That's not supposed to matter to me. Not too long ago, the deer wouldn't have even bothered me. I could have deliberately run it down with my car and not even flinched. But now... I just don't know anymore."

She reached out a paw and patted him on the head. "It's okay. I guess us humans are rubbing off on you. You seem to be developing a conscience."

He pulled away from her and sat up. "That is not possible."

She turned to walk back to where they'd left Giles, Anya, and Dawn, then turned and looked back at him. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Spike." The corners of her mouth turned up in the Smilodon version of a smile. "After all, we're only human." She disappeared into the tall grass.

Spike chuckled, then slowly got up and followed her. She was right, in a way. He supposed if their situations were reversed, and Buffy had spent a lot of time with a pack of vampires, a kill would be easy for her, even though she's human. All that had happened was that he'd been hanging around the Scoobies too long, and a bit of their thoughts and morals were either rubbing off, or coming back to him. After all, he'd been human once, too.

A few hours later, the whole group was assembled on the banks of the stream again. After some debating, it had been decided that they would try fishing in order to feed the predators. As for Giles and Anya, well, they were learning how to eat grass and like it.

Buffy had discovered that by dropping her lower jaw all the way, which almost laid it on her chest, her saber teeth became wonderful fishing spears. She'd stand on the bank, wait for a fish, and then stab down with every ounce of speed her Smilodon body could muster. Most of the time, she came up with a fish on her fangs. In fact, the only time she'd missed was because Dawn had been swatting at her short tail and had thrown her off balance. Only the fact that Giles was nearby and had grabbed her around the middle with his trunk (he was very good at using it by then) had kept the Slayer from falling in the stream.

Willow and Tara found that they could swat the fish out of the water, like a modern bear, but then there was the problem of catching the flopping fish and holding them still so that they could bite them.

Dawn's teeth were too small to fish with, so Buffy would spear a fish and then toss it over her shoulder for her sister. Meanwhile, Xander had just decided that it would be easier to wade into the stream and snap up the fish as they passed. It didn't always work, but most of the time it did.

Spike wasn't feeling hungry, and hated fish anyway. So he just laid about fifty feet away from the group, and watched them work. After about two hours of fishing, everyone was full, and now they were just playing around, enjoying their time together. Giles had discovered that he could hold his trunk in different shapes, and that changed the sound it made when he trumpeted. Xander had found this so funny that he'd dragged over a log and sat up on his hind legs, beating on the log with his forepaws. Dawn started dancing around, which was kind of funny, since she literally had two left feet, and singing a medley of any song she could think of that had a beat similar to the one that the Hyena and Mammoth were producing. Willow and Tara appointed themselves her backup singers, and hummed along with whatever she sang, their Dinofelis voices yowling loudly and adding to the din. Buffy watched for awhile, and then caught sight of Spike, lying in the shadows not too far away. She got up and walked over to him. "Hey."

"Hey, luv." Cocked his head at the rest of the group. "I think they just invented the first band."

She laughed a little and sat next to him. "Yeah. What're you doin' here, anyway?"

Spike sighed and gestured with a paw to the west, where the sun was setting, casting a golden red glow over the ancient landscape. "Reminding myself what it's like to watch a sunset from the beginning."

She felt a slight pang for him. Closed her eyes, trying to imagine that she hadn't seen a sunset in over a hundred years. Opened them. Somehow, the colors were even more incredible. She smiled internally. "It is pretty." Cocked her head down at him. "Aren't you hungry?"

He shook his head. "That thing with the fawn earlier... I lost my appetite."

Buffy gave a half nod. "Yeah. Don't blame you." She got up and headed over to where the others were settling down to rest for the night. "If you get hungry, come get me. I think this Smilodon thing has pretty good night vision. I can probably still fish for a few more hours."

He nodded. "Alright, luv. Good night."

"G'nite, Spike."

He watched as the others huddled in a group. Giles laid down slowly, lowering himself until his stomach was on the ground. Mammoths probably weren't designed to sleep lying down, but it worked. Willow and Tara laid down side by side in front of Giles, and his trunk rested over their backs like a hairy blanket. Xander was next to Anya, who was leaning on Giles' side. Buffy and Dawn were on the other side, curled together, up against the soft, warm blanket of Mammoth fur.

Not too long after the sun went down, Spike began picking up on the sounds of deep, rhythmic breathing from the pile of mammals. He sighed and laid his head on his paws, trying to sleep. With the absence of sun, the temperature dropped rapidly, and it wasn't long before Spike found himself shivering violently. Part of him wanted to get up and go see if he could wedge himself between Buffy and Dawn, but the part that he listened to, his stubborn pride, didn't want to seem as if he needed them. He'd already suffered through one humiliating thing that day, even though no one had bothered him about it, and he didn't want to seem weak in their eyes. So he laid there and shivered. Eventually, out of pure exhaustion, he fell into a restless sleep.

Spike woke up in the middle of the night to the pleasant feeling of being warm. And squished. But a good squished. He looked around, blinking the sleep away, and was surprised to find that he had a Mammoth on one side, and a Smilodon on the other. The whole group had moved sometime during the night and come over to include Spike in the group snuggle. Also, there was a weight on his back. Dawn was stretched out along his back with her legs hanging off on either side. Because of Giles' slow lowering of himself, the long fur of his sides and underbelly was spread on top of Dawn and Spike, helping to insulate them.

Buffy was leaning hard against his other side, and he was pleasantly surprised to feel that he was surrounded by this wonderful vibrating sound. It took awhile to realize that it was coming from Buffy and Dawn. The two Smilodons were purring for him. Spike felt a warmth go through him that wasn't completely physical. They'd cared enough to come over and keep him warm. Even though he hadn't been able to go through with the hunt, even though he hadn't helped them fish, even though he'd deliberately not joined them earlier, they'd still come over to keep him warm. It was a nice feeling. Spike yawned and craned his neck over to rest his chin in the short mane on Buffy's neck. Oh, yeah. He could get used to this.

Author's Notes 2: Hey! I'm glad people are liking this! You'll never believe how long I've had this idea. Probably over two years. But I never actually wrote it because I honestly didn't think that anyone would like it! I finally started writing it because of something that I told my friend and co writer Tequila Sunrise: Don't write because people will read it. Write because YOU want to read it. Write what you like. What you would read. I guarantee there will be someone out there who will read it.

Now I'm taking my own advice, and look at this! Wow! This and Test Subject are the kind of stories that I like to read, and I'm finally writing what I like. Let me tell you, it sure feels good. BUT I DO WANT REVIEWS! I love reviews! Thank you!


	4. Chapter 3: On The Road Again

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: Have I mentioned that I love reviews? (hint, hint). I would like more than two new reviews for each chapter. Thank you. Oh, and enjoy this chap.

**Chapter 3: On The Road Again**

Spike woke up slightly at sunrise, when the Mammoth that had been propping him up on one side got up to go graze. He tipped over a little, causing Dawn to shift on top of him, so that she was laying more on his side than his back. Buffy unconsciously snuggled closer, against the soft fur on Spike's wolf stomach, and the wolf sighed happily. He was too warm to wake up now. Go back to sleep.

He woke up again to the sound of giggling and a very pleasant feeling on his ribs. "Huh?", he muttered groggily.

"Oh, he's waking up. Buffy, should I stop?", Dawn's voice said.

"Nope," the Slayer's voice said. "I think he likes this, anyway."

Spike raised his head and came face to face with a mini Smilodon, who was perched on his side, kneading his ribs gently with her paws. "Morning."

He looked around to see Buffy sitting nearby. "Hey, puppy dog."

He chuckled. "Mornin', luv, Bit." Looked at Dawn again. "What're you doing?"

She giggled. "If I do this fast, your leg goes. Like Thumper. Watch." She sped up her kneading, and the wolf's left hind leg started kicking uncontrollably. "See?"

Buffy laughed. "That is sooo funny. I knew you were sensitive, but this is too much."

Spike, meanwhile, had closed his eyes and his mouth had lolled open slightly. "Ooh. That feels so good."

Buffy got up and trotted over to them, placing her paws on Spike's stomach and copying Dawn's kneading. To both their surprises, as well as Spike's, the wolf yapped a little, and that overlapped Spike's mental laughter. "Stop it! Stop it! You're bleedin' tickling me!"

They kept after him, both laughing, until he managed to roll over onto his stomach and shake Dawn off. He hop/walked a couple of feet away. Panting and trying to growl. "Don't ever do that again."

Dawn trotted up to him, giggling. She nuzzled under his chin gently. "Sorry, Spike."

He chuckled and poked her with a paw. "Yeah, yeah." He looked around. "Where is everyone?"

Buffy walked up, her natural grace blending with that of the Smilodon. "Giles and Anya are out getting a salad. Willow, Tara, and Xander are fishing." She sat down and scratched at her short mane with a hind leg. "I already got Dawn and I some fish. If you want some, I can get it."

Spike snorted and shook his head. "Nope. I hate fish."

Buffy shook her head. "Sorry. We can't be picky. It's either fish or starve. And since you didn't eat yesterday, you need to eat today."

Dawn made a face. "To tell you the truth, I hate fish, too. But this thing's taste buds like it. I just tell myself that it's sushi. Sushi that's still moving, but sushi just the same. Mom liked sushi."

Spike sighed and shook himself, stretching a little. "Fine. But I can catch my own." He trotted toward where Willow, Tara, and Xander were now lounging by the stream. Buffy and Dawn exchanged a look and a Smilodon shrug, then followed the Dire Wolf.

"Mornin', Dead Boy Junior," Xander said from his spot in the grass. The Hyena was lying on his back with his paws in the air and gave a half wave as the wolf passed.

Willow and Tara were snuggled close together, their long tails wrapped around each other. "Hi, Spike," they said in unison.

"Mornin," the wolf muttered, as he stood on the bank of the stream and focused his eyes below the water. Stick, stick, stick... Mud blob... Stick, stick.. FISH! He darted his jaws below the water and clamped them shut on a fish. He felt the very satisfying sensation of his fangs sliding through the fish's scales and into it's flesh. The fish's cold blood stained his wolf snout as he shook the fish to kill it, like a dog worrying a rat. Once it stopped moving, he carried it over and lay down with it between his forepaws, tearing at it with his teeth. Well, this wasn't that bad. Actually, kind of good. Salty, but not too much. And crunchy bones. He finished the fish and went back to the stream for another. He repeated his performance two more times, before his stomach informed him that he'd had enough. Then he just walked over and flopped in the grass about thirty feet from the others. Within a couple of moments, his full stomach had lulled him to sleep.

Something was poking him. It was annoying, so Spike tried to raise an arm and swat it away. It didn't work because his arm wasn't attached the way it was supposed to be. He opened his eyes, and remembered everything. The wolf, being outside, and that was the trunk of a Mammoth that was poking him. "What is it, Rupert?"

Giles sighed. "As much as it pains me to ask, I need your help."

Spike sat up and shook himself a little. "What with?"

Giles sighed again. "Our current predicament, actually. I'm assuming you want to get home as much as the rest of us?"

He yawned. "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"Dawn has to feel like we're a family if we are to get home. So you need to stop going off by yourself."

Spike chuckled. "What do you want, Rupert? I'm not exactly the touchy-feely type. I'm doin' the best I can with what I've got to work with."

"Could you just..." The Mammoth waved his trunk around in a gesture of futility. "Talk to everyone? Spend some time with Dawn. Just stop going off by yourself to lay down, okay?"

Spike sighed and nodded slightly. "Alright. But I'm not talkin' to Harris. Was there anything else?"

The Mammoth nodded. "Yes, actually. Besides Tara and Anya, I don't really have any information on that amulet. I was hoping that you'd perhaps know something?"

The Dire Wolf stood up and stretched. "Yeah. I know what they said earlier. And one other thing."

"What?"

Spike looked up at Giles. "We can't stay here."

The Watcher stared down at his canine companion. "Why not? Here has everything we need. Grass, fish, fresh water."

Spike nodded. "Yeah. But we can't get home from here. If I'm right about what that amulet's done to us, we have to find where Sunnydale will be in order to get home. And we have to find it before that amulet stops glowing."

"As of this morning, it's still the same. I'm beginning to worry that we may be here for quite some time." He looked around. "What makes you think that we aren't in Sunnydale now?"

Spike chuckled. "I may be a wolf, but I still have my extra senses. I don't feel like we're anywhere near the Hellmouth. Ask Buffy. She should feel it too."

Giles sighed. "If you're right, and we aren't in Sunnydale, then where are we?"

Spike shrugged as best he could. "My guess? Somewhere near LA. And there's one landmark that we can find to tell us exactly where we are."

"What?"

Spike sighed. "The La Brea Tar Pits. They were around during the last Ice Age, which seems to be where we are. It's summer now, so it's only deathly cold at night, but if we're still here in winter, I doubt Harris and the Wiccas will do very well. The rest of us have relatively long fur, and good insulation. They don't. I'm guessing that the Dinofelis and Hyena are migratory. Just passing through."

Giles held his trunk up, the Mammoth version of throwing your arms in the air. "How, may I ask, do you know all of this!"

Spike chuckled. "I pirated cable. I watch Discovery Channel sometimes. I saw Walking With Prehistoric Beasts about two weeks ago. I didn't know that it would turn out to be prophetic."

Giles sighed. "Very well. I'll tell the others that we need to get moving." He started to walk away, then turned back. "Which way do you think that these Tar Pits will be?"

Spike sighed. "All I know is west of here. Maybe a little north. I'm getting a scent when the wind comes from that direction that makes the wolf nervous. I'm pretty sure that's what it is."

"Ah." The Mammoth turned again and walked toward the others, trumpeting for attention. Spike watched for a moment, then trotted after him.

Later that day, they were all moving in a west northwesterly direction. It had to be the single weirdest herd that anyone had ever seen. A Mammoth, a Woolly Rhino, two Dinofelis, two Smilodons, one juvenile and one adult, and a Dire Wolf. Dawn got tired fast, and was riding on Anya's back at that moment. Giles, having the longest legs, was out ahead of the others a bit, with Anya a close second. The two Wiccas and Xander were trotting close behind Anya. Buffy and Spike were in the lead, using their noses to search for the Tar Pits. Spike had explained that, even though they may not smell the tar until they got close, the whole Tar Pit area was a predator trap. Meaning that animals got stuck in the tar, died, and their rotting bodies attracted predators, who got stuck, and in turn they attracted more predators and so on. So it was most likely the predators that would find the Tar Pits first.

"Not to sound like I'm lazy, or anything," Xander called from behind the others. "But can we take a break? My paws are killing me."

"Yeah," Willow said. "And I'm getting hungry."

Giles smacked his domed forehead with his trunk. "Damn. I knew we should have brought some fish with us. Now what are we going to do?"

Tara looked around. "Even if we were going to hunt, there don't seem to be any herds of... well.. anything here."

"We can go awhile without eating," Spike said, sitting down and scratching his ear. "Probably at least two days without ill effects."

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. But Giles and Anya should eat."

Dawn hopped off Anya's back and trotted over to her sister. "Why? If we can go without food, why can't they?"

Spike cleared his throat. "They're herbivores, Bit. Their metabolism is quite different from ours. If Rupert and Anya don't eat all the time, they may not make it."

Dawn's yellow eyes got wide and she turned to Giles. "Okay. Go eat. We'll wait."

Giles chuckled. "It wouldn't be quite that bad, Spike. Don't worry, Dawn." He turned and lumbered off with the Rhino to eat.

Spike laid down, rolled on his back, and yawned. "It'll be sundown soon, anyway."

Dawn trotted over and climbed up onto his furry stomach, snuggling down and resting her head on his chest. "I'm really sorry that I got us all thrown back here."

Buffy sat next to Spike and sighed. "It's not your fault, Dawnie. Really."

Xander stretched and trotted over. "Yeah, Dawn. We're the ones who haven't been around lately. I don't blame you for feeling lonely."

"And we've all done things that we didn't mean to do." This from Willow, who ducked her head as she said it.

Tara nuzzled her. "And no one blames people for accidents, Dawnie." She looked Willow in the eyes. "No one." The two Dinofelis' purred and nuzzled each other.

Spike chuckled. "Yeah, Bit. Look at me. With everything I've done, and I'm still here. Still a part." Snort. "A reluctant part, but a part."

Dawn purred and nuzzled Spike, then got off him to nuzzle the others in turn. "Thanks guys. You really aren't mad?"

A chorus of 'no's came from the assembled animals as the sun started to slip behind the horizon. A few minutes later, Anya and Giles returned and everyone duplicated their actions from the previous night, snuggling down together. Including Spike from the beginning this time, with him squashed between Giles and Buffy, with Dawn on his back. He yawned, which passed to each of the others in turn. Apparently, yawning is contagious even in the Pleistocene. It didn't take long before everyone was fast asleep.

The wind shifted early the next morning, before the sun had even come up far enough to give more than the slightest light, carrying a scent that awakened the by then extremely hungry Dire Wolf. Sniffing sleepily, he backed slowly out from under Dawn, letting Buffy and Giles feel her in-between them instead of him. Neither Smilodons or the Mammoth noticed his sudden absence.

The wind was coming from the northwest, and whatever he was smelling was delicious. He debated waking the others up, but changed his mind. If he woke them up, he'd have to share whatever he found. Sure, the Scoobies were his 'friends', but still. When it comes to food, vampires... or wolves, can be very possessive.

He followed the scent for about thirty minutes, finally finding the source. A dead Mammoth. Juvenile, from the look at it. Whatever had killed it, seemed to be long gone. The carcass was fresh, but slightly desiccated, as whatever had killed it had obviously eaten a good bit of it as well. But there was still a good deal of meat on it's body. Spike licked his lips and climbed up onto the carcass to where a large hole had been ripped in it's side, showing what was left of the viscera inside.

Ignoring the part of him that said that this was disgusting, and very, very wrong. GILES was a Mammoth, for crying out loud! It was like eating his brother or something! But he pushed these feelings deep down, concentrating only on the emptiness in his stomach, and the fact that this was a source of food that would end those painful feelings. He plunged his snout, and most of his head into the carcass, swallowing hunks of partially decomposed lung and liver.

His ears, which were still mostly above the opening of the hole, twitched. Thinking that the others had followed the scent, he raised his head and now blood covered snout to call to them. And instead came face to face with the ugliest bird he'd ever seen.

It looked like someone had crossed an ostrich with an eagle, and given it a vulture's face. The thing was taller than him, and had a wickedly curved beak and talons on each foot to match. And it was standing on the dead Mammoth's shoulder blade. Terror Bird, Spike's memory gave the name. Still, it was bigger than him, but he could probably take it. Give the others some overgrown chicken for lunch. He snarled at the Terror Bird. "Back off, Big Bird. This is my lunch." He snapped his jaws at it and snarled again.

The Bird didn't back away, it reared back and cawed loudly, then kicked at him. Only the wolf's quick reflexes kept him from being sliced open like a canned ham. "Whoa! Down, Tweety!" He barked at it and snapped again, getting a mouthful of feathers for his trouble.

The Bird screeched, and hit him hard in the side with it's beak, sending him tumbling off the Mammoth carcass. He hit the ground and got up, preparing to jump back onto the body and confront this stupid sack of feathers, when he heard more caws and screeches. Coming from behind him. He turned slowly to see five more Terror Birds advancing quickly. "Bloody hell. Just my luck. I walk in on an Ice Age turkey convention."

The birds surrounded him, the one up on the Mammoth jumping down to help it's friends. Spike growled and snapped turning in a tight circle, but was unable to block from all sides. "Go on! You can have the bloody Mammoth! I don't want it any- HEY! Watch the talons, Fluffy!" But the Birds kept after him. Why wouldn't they go for the Mammoth... A horrible realization hit him. Why go for dead meat, when they could have something much fresher? Unfortunately, the fresh meat was him. At this moment, only one thought passed through the vampire turned Dire Wolf's mind. "Shit."

Author's Notes 2: I love cliffhangers. Well, I love them when I know what's gonna happen. You all probably aren't too fond of them, though, huh? Unfortunately, I will not be posting again until after the anniversary of September 11th has past. Out of respect for those who died. So, expect a new chap Thursday. Enjoy. And PLEASE REVIEW! I have half a mind to not post until I've got more than twenty five reviews on this. This is my baby, and I'm proud of it, damnit! Thank you for reviewing.


	5. Chapter 4: Furballs

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

_(UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE: I retract my statement about NC-17 fics in the below Author's Note. I have since grown up quite a bit, both mentally and physically. Please do not let my five year old opinion offend anyone. Thank you.)_

Author's Notes: So, who's slightly upset by new ban on NC-17 fics? Actually, not me. I guess more authors will have to learn to write like me. I was getting slightly tired of having to scan the rating of a fic before I read it. Personally, I'd like to see more fluff fics and cute stuff. It's perfectly acceptable to do a sex scene (if you must have one) as a fade out/morning after. Like the end of Smashed and the beginning of Wrecked. Really, ignore this author's note, it has nothing really to do with the story. I'm just on a rant tonight. No new chapters till Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm working with Tequila Sunrise tomorrow night. As for why Ohana hasn't been posted yet, I have no clue. Sunrise is in charge of posting on our joint fics. If you're curious, email her!

**Chapter 4: Furballs**

Spike spun around, trying to snap at all the Terror Birds at once. "Back off! Come on! Eat the bloody Mammoth. Not me! Wolf is bad. High in cholesterol and all that crap. HEY! Watch the tail!" He swallowed. "I'm in trouble."

The Terror Birds were circling, hissing and snapping at him. He snarled, debating trying to dodge between one of their legs, but rejected the idea quickly. The talons on their three toed feet discouraged him. One got a really close snap that ripped a hunk of fur off his back. He backed up, snarling, and bumped into the Mammoth carcass. One quick turn and a hop, and he was on top of it. Predator's instinct. Get the high ground, get the advantage. Unfortunately, one of the birds had the same idea.

"Sqaaaarrrrrkkk!", it screeched, and kicked him hard. Spike went flying, over the other bird's heads, and hit the ground, sliding a few feet. He tried to scramble up, but the landing had smacked his head against the ground. And a rock.

He pushed himself into a sitting position, shaking his head. Through the stars that were circling his head, he saw the pack of birds advancing. "Okay. That's it. I give up." He laid down. "Eat me, already."

One of the birds leaped toward him, and he braced himself for the pain of the razor talons and beak tearing into his flesh. Suddenly, the screech of the Terror Bird was cut short by a loud, and even more terrifying sound. "Gooorrrrrooooaaaarrrrrr!" A Smilodon.

The golden furred cat hit the attacking Terror Bird and knocked it rolling. Spike sighed. Great. Now he was gonna die at the paws of something that looked exactly like... Buffy. Was that a Mammoth trumpeting?

Giles charged into the pack of Terror Birds, grabbing one around it's long neck and tossed it a good hundred feet. He reared up, flailing his huge forepaws, shaking his trunk and tusks and trumpeting loudly. "Get away from him, you bloody bird-brains!"

Buffy let out another earth-shaking roar, her mental voice calling, "Cats EAT birds! Back off, chicken legs!"

A small Smilodon came up next to Spike. Dawn. "Spike? Are you okay? Did it hurt you?"

Spike shook his head, rising back to a sitting position. He rested a paw on her back. "No, Bit. I'm fine. Little dizzy."

Meanwhile, Giles, Buffy and the others had managed to chase off all the birds. Buffy trotted back, grinning internally. "Hey. Ran off kind of early." She glanced at the Mammoth carcass. "But I think I see why."

Spike at least had the shame to look down slightly. "I didn't want to bother all of you. 'Sides, I didn't know what it was. Could've been the Tar Pits."

Xander let out an excited growl. "FOOD! Dead Mammoth food, but still.. FOOD!" He leaped up onto the carcass and let the Hyena take over, plunging his snout into the dead animal and tearing off hunks. Willow and Tara exchanged Dinofelis shrugs, and followed him up onto the carcass. Giles, who was more than slightly weirded out by watching his companions eat another of his species, decided to go with Anya to get a 'salad', which was what they'd taken to calling the grass. It at least made it SOUND better.

Dawn, once she was sure that Spike was okay, trotted over to the others. "Guys! Toss something down here! I don't want to get Mammoth on the amulet!" In response, a chunk of liver flew from the hole, tossed by a Hyena, and landed at her feet. She made a face. "Eww. Oh well. When in the Ice Age." Settled down to gnaw on it.

Buffy sat down a couple of feet from Spike. "You okay?"

The wolf sighed. "Yeah. More or less." He turned his head around and licked at the small semi-bald spot on his back. "Aside from a little premature hair loss, that is. You?"

"Huh?" Stupid Buffy. Don't watch his tongue. He's a WOLF for crying out loud! "Oh. Fine, I guess." She rolled on her back. "Actually, I'm kind of glad that we wound up here. Ya know? It's almost as fun as being invisible again. Without bad pudding side effects."

"Another escape, you mean," Spike muttered. "Bloody hell."

"What?"

Shook his head. "Nothing. Why don't you go get some food with your pals, Slayer? I've already eaten."

Buffy rolled back over and got up. "Okay. Good idea." She trotted back toward the Mammoth carcass, then turned and looked at the Dire Wolf over her shoulder. "You sure?"

Spike didn't answer, only gestured with a paw, and watched as she walked over and hopped up onto the carcass with her friends. He sighed. This was just perfect. She was still escaping. Still not there, just as sure as if she were invisible again. It hurt. It really did. And the way she'd just looked at him, bloody hell. The wolf snorted. Apparently, she wasn't ever going to stop running. He'd done all he could. More than enough. And it hurt. Hurt him to see her not realizing what she was doing. Not realizing that there were people who cared. He wanted to help, but what more could he do? Nothing. Not until they got back home. Then he would sit her down, and have a nice, long talk with the Slayer. Maybe involving tying her to something. It'd worked in the past when he'd had to tell her something that he knew she didn't want to hear. And she definitely didn't want to hear this.

With a sigh, he got up and wandered off in the direction that Giles and Anya had gone. He wanted a little company. It would just not be a good idea for it to be Buffy, right then.

Two days. Two more days in the Pleistocene, and that stupid amulet hadn't even dimmed. Also, it was getting colder during the day. Winter was coming. Giles had suggested that they head for the nearby mountains, in the hopes that one of them might be a dormant volcano, and have hot springs and warm caves that might make it easier for the Hyena and Dinofelis'. So they'd turned. It would do them no good to reach the Tar Pits, if one or more of them froze to death in the process.

With almost no large animal carcasses being found, and even less chances for the group to fish, the predators had come up with another strategy for getting food. Fresh food.

It had started the day earlier. Before the sun was completely up, Dawn had been digging. When Spike asked her what she was doing, she told him that there were a bunch of small, prairie dog like animals down in those holes, and that she was trying to get them out. It took about three hours of digging before the group hit on a strategy that worked. And that was totally by accident.

In frustration and hunger, Buffy had stuck her snout into the hole that she was excavating and let out one of her long, loud roars. To the group's surprise, the little Furballs, as Dawn had christened them, for none of them could remember what they were actually called, started shooting up out of holes all over the place. After that, it had just been a free for all to pounce on and kill as many as possible.

Later that same day, they'd found another Furball town, and Buffy had tried it again, with all of them ready to catch the little mammals. It had worked like a charm. Now, with no problem getting food, for the Furballs lived all over the place, the group had continued their trek for the mountains.

That evening, they'd reached the foothills, and found a small cave. Small, that is, meaning big enough to fit a Mammoth, Hyena, Woolly Rhino, two Dinofelis and Smilodons, and a Dire Wolf. They took up their usual nightly roosts, and snuggled down to wait out the night. Wind howled outside, and a few snow flakes fell. The howling wind freaked Dawn out, and instead of sleeping on top of Spike, she wedged herself between him and Giles, hiding in the Mammoth's long belly hair. Not a bad arrangement, even if it wasn't exactly the best smell in the world.

Beside her, Spike stayed awake, listening to the Pleistocene night. So different from the night sounds in Sunnyhell, that's for sure. No cars, or people, were the most obvious things. But there were voices. Distant trumpets told of Mammoth herds, still on the move despite the darkness. Bugling calls said that the Megaloceros were near as well. But the sound that Spike was listening for, the sound that spurred both his body, and the mind that inhabited it, that sound only came two or three times during the night. It was the howl of a Dire Wolf pack. His pack. Or, at least, the pack of the body that his mind resided in. The last few nights, he'd been listening to the wolves. Twice, he'd allowed the sound to lull him to sleep. But tonight, it was having the opposite effect. Because one crucial thing had changed. The howls were closer... Much closer.

"Ooooooooooowwwwwwwwoooooooooo!"

Author's Notes 2: Once again, I apologize for the shortness of this chap. I have certain things that I want to happen in the coming chapters, and I can only do the lead ins for them right now. Also, I'm currently working on my second book, as well as my fic Test Subject, and my collaboration with Tequila Sunrise, Ohana: No One Gets Left Behind. Which should have chaps up tomorrow. Friday. Or Saturday. I'll talk to her, okay! Sorry. REVEIW, PLEASE! I'm trying to get to thirty this time.


	6. Chapter 5: Family Ties

Disclaimer, Summary, ect.: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: Ok, sorry it's been so long between updates, but I've been super busy. My publisher screwed up the cover of my book, and I've had to go into detail with them about this crap. sigh Sometimes it's great to have fanfic to fall back on. At least here I can make everything go the way I want it to. Now, for the notes that are actually about the story. Remember that this is a S/B story, no matter what happens in the next few chaps. I've got to get a point across to Buffy. That's why I set this in the timeframe that I did.

**Chapter 5: Family Ties**

A week and a half. That's how long it'd been since the group had found themselves on this extended Ice Age sequel. And the amulet still hadn't even dimmed. Needless to say, tempers were wearing thin, and stomachs were wearing thinner. It'd been three days since they'd found one of the Furball towns, and Dawn had taken to riding on Spike's back most of the time. She expended energy the fastest of all of them, being a young Smilodon, and needed more food than the others. When they did find some of the Furballs, they donated most of the catch to the youngest Summers on principal. Spike was barely eating at all, giving almost all of his food to Dawn. And he wasn't sleeping well, either. The last night, he'd actually SEEN one of the wolves that he'd been hearing every night. A white Dire Wolf that his nose told him was female. And something else. Something that he couldn't quite put one of his nonexistent fingers on, and it was bothering him.

"How much farther can it be?", Xander complained. "We've been walking for a week, almost nonstop. And we have yet to even SMELL these stupid Tar Pits!" He walked up to Spike, growling low, the fur on his back rose. "I think you're either just leading us around in circles, or you have no clue where you're going."

The wolf snorted, his own hackles rising involuntarily. "I know more than you do, Hyena-boy. And I'm not the only one leading. Talk to the Slayer." He turned his back on the Hyena, thinking that he'd put him in his place. He was wrong.

With a howling sound, the Giant Hyena leaped onto the Dire Wolf's back, and attempted to bite the back of Spike's neck. Spike howled and snarled, shaking the enraged Hyena off and whirling to face him. The two circled each other, growling and posturing, until an earsplitting trumpet nearly scared the fur off of both of them.

"That's ENOUGH!", Giles said, swinging his trunk around and shaking his massive curling tusks menacingly. "Both of you! Shut up and sit down!"

The Giant Hyena and Dire Wolf sat down.

Giles marched up in front of them, the rumble coming from his Mammoth body sounding very much like a growl. "We will never make it home if we don't get along. We're supposed to be a family. None of us will get home if we don't stick together. Which means NO FIGHTING!"

Xander looked down and away from Giles. "Sorry."

Spike just stared straight ahead. Family. Puh. Of the whole group, only one cared anything about him. He'd never be a member of this family. Even if he wanted to. Which he didn't. He only stayed for Buffy and Dawn. And he was beginning to wonder why he was even bothering with Buffy at all.

Over the last week, Buffy'd begun to scare him. She was really getting into the whole Smilodon thing. He'd seen her rip a living Furball apart a couple of days earlier. It was obvious to him that she was just using their circumstances as another escape. Just like she'd used being invisible before.

Giles was still talking, but Spike was no longer listening. He got up and stalked off, growling to himself, away from the others.

Giles looked up and watched Spike go. Then he looked to Xander. "Xander, please go check on Willow and Tara. They believe that they may have found a small nest of Furballs." Excited by the prospect of fresh food, the Hyena got up and trotted off in the direction that the Mammoth's trunk was pointing. Giles then followed the Dire Wolf.

Spike walked about a eighth of a mile away from the others, to a small cliff that they'd discovered the day before. He sat on the edge of the cliff, and laid down, his forepaws and snout hanging off the edge of the cliff. He sighed deeply, then sensed the Mammoth behind him. "What, Rupert?"

Giles stood slightly behind and next to him. "What, yourself. What is your problem, Spike?"

"I do have a problem, Rupe. But it's not exactly mine. And I can't tell you, without revealing a confidence."

Spike felt the sort of strange, and yet comforting sensation of a trunk stroking the fur on his back. "It's about Buffy, isn't it?"

Spike just sighed.

Giles nodded a little, and continued smoothing down the raised fur along the wolf's back with his trunk. "I figured as much. I've noticed her behavior as of late as well. That business with the Furball the other day was enough to tell me that something's wrong."

Spike sat up and turned his head to look up and Giles over his shoulder. "It's worse than you know, Rupert. Don't think I don't want to tell you. Cause I do. I want someone to talk to about this. But I can't. There's stuff that, if I tell you, Buffy'll make me wish that I was that Furball the other day."

Giles gave a chuckle. "Yes. I would imagine. But I think I know what this is about. Xander told me about your... um.. pushups? When Buffy was invisible. And I believe that I have seen something that he didn't." A hint of that growling rumble had slipped back into the Mammoth's voice.

If he'd had a human body, Spike would have bitten his lip. He was totally aware that the Mammoth was strong enough to totally tear him limb from limb. And if Spike'd been Giles, that's what he'd do. He looked away, not wanting to see Giles' trunk fly at him and throw him off the cliff. It would be a quick, and explainable way to rid the world of Spike once and for all. His muscles tensed, and he waited for it to happen. He was shocked when it didn't.

Instead of the Mammoth's trunk slamming into his back, he felt the tip of it gently rest on his head between his ears. "I am disappointed, Spike. But not in you. You love Buffy, and you want to help her. Am I right that she is usually the instigator of these... Meetings?"

Spike licked his lips. "Well.. Yeah."

The trunk began stroking his head gently. "I am going to talk to Buffy about this. She's been using you. Using your love for her to make herself feel better. I'm sorry, Spike."

Spike dropped his head. "I was hoping.. that I was wrong. That, at least in some way, she did love me."

Giles nodded, and used his trunk to pick up the wolf and turn him around so that he was facing him. "It's not your fault. God knows you've done more than your share. If it weren't for you, Dawn never would have recovered last summer. I know how much you had to be hurting, but you stayed strong for her. You supported her, patrolled with all of us, and nearly got yourself killed for us several times."

Spike looked up at the Mammoth. "I didn't think any of you noticed. You.. you never said anything."

Giles nodded. "And I apologize for that as well. We were all quite.. absorbed in our own plans and problems. It's not that we didn't care, Spike. Thank you."

The wolf shrugged. "I was just keeping a promise, Rupe. Really."

Giles gave him one last pat on the head. "It was more than that, Spike. And you know it." He turned and started back toward the others, then looked back at Spike, who stayed sitting on the cliff. "You didn't betray her, Spike. You just confirmed what I already knew."

Spike nodded, and turned back around to watch the last few moments of sunset.

"Ooooowwwwwwwoooooo!", the howls came again. Closer than the night before, even though he couldn't see any of the wolves this time. Spike was still on the cliff, listening to the wolves, fighting the instinct that told him to answer their calls, when he heard her.

"SPIKE!" The mental words were a shout, and the animal voice accompanying it was a roar. A Smilodon roar. "I KNOW YOU'RE OUT HERE! I SMELL YOU!"

Spike turned his head. He knew this was coming. He should've asked Giles not to confront Buffy about their 'relationship' until after they got back home. At least there, if she beat the crap out of him, he'd heal quickly. He sighed. Might as well get it over with. "On the cliff, luv."

There was a snarl, and the golden Smilodon, fur raised, saber fangs bared, leaped out of the grass onto the bare rock that lead up to the cliff. She was growling low in her throat, a frightening sound, even to the wolf. He stood to face her. He wouldn't growl, he wouldn't hurt her. She could make the first move this time. She stalked toward him, her body language not showing any of the human that was residing somewhere within the Smilodon mind. She was a Smilodon, approaching her mortal enemy, the Dire Wolf, and preparing for the kill. "You told him," she hissed at him, her golden eyes flashing dangerously.

"No. I didn't. He already knew, Slayer." Spike took a couple of short steps toward her, making sure to keep his body in a semi-submissive position, trying to appease her inner Smilodon. "He confronted me about it. And I-"

The strike came so fast, Spike didn't even see her draw her paw back before he felt the bite of the five razor-sharp claws rake across his face, and through one eye. "You LYING son of a BITCH!", she roared.

Spike hadn't been prepared for her to hit him. It knocked him clean off his four paws and onto his side. Spike shook his head, trying to clear his vision. The eye that her claws had swiped seemed totally blinded, but after a moment, it cleared a little, showing that it was simply filled with the wolf's blood. His blood. He stood up, shaking his head and bringing Buffy into focus, even though blood continued to drip in his eyes, the whole left side of his face burning painfully. The Smilodon seemed shocked at what she'd done. She obviously hadn't thought about her claws. "Spike..." She took a step toward him, and he took one back.

"Back off, Slayer," he said quietly, with no malice in his voice. He shook his head, throwing drops of blood onto the rocks around him. "I hope you see now. I wanted to do this before, but I couldn't make myself. I kept telling myself that if I just kept letting you... letting you be with me. Letting you take what you needed from me, and then leave me like you'd abandon a puppy at the SPCA." He walked past her, without making eye contact, ignoring the pain in his face. "Well, you won't walk away this time. Because I'm doing it first. Goodbye, Buffy."

The Smilodon turned around and followed Spike. "Spike.. wait.. you can't leave.. we won't get home without you.."

Spike whirled to face her, and she took a step back when the moonlight illuminated the drying blood on his wolf face. "As if you really care, Slayer. As if you even want to go home. Just like your little case of invisibility, this is bloody convenient for you, isn't it? Once again, you've been handed the perfect opportunity to escape from yourself. Well, enjoy it, Slayer, because it won't last. Sooner or later, you're going to have to face your life. And I'm just speeding up the process." He turned, and began walking again.

About halfway through his speech, Buffy had sat down. Like always, his words had rung true, but once again, they weren't what she wanted to hear. "But.. You love me..."

Spike froze. This time, he didn't turn to face her. "I do love you, Buffy. But Rupert showed me something today. Something that I didn't want to see, but that I know is true. You're using me, Buffy. And it's killing me. It may be making you feel better in the short term, but I can't take it anymore. I'm tired, Buffy. I'm tired of feeling for people who don't give a rat's ass about me. I'm tired of giving my love to people who either don't return it, or use it to stab me in the back. I can't do it anymore, Buffy. When it's time to go back to Sunnydale, I'll be there. But when we get back, I'm leaving. For good. Goodbye, Buffy. I love you." He didn't wait for her response, just turned and ran. He ran as fast as his paws would take him, in the direction that he'd heard the howls earlier.

Buffy was frozen, sitting on the bare rocks of the cliff. He was gone... he'd left.. the one thing he'd sworn never to do, and he'd left her. Just like Angel. Just like Riley. Just like her father. But this time was different, wasn't it? This was her fault. She held up one paw, the one she'd struck him with, and looked at the blood on her claws. If she'd been human, she would have cried. As it was, she just laid down on the cold rocks, making a quiet whimpering noise, realizing something too late. She cared about him. More than cared. She loved him. And now she could never tell him. The Smilodon cried herself to sleep.

Spike ran as far as he could, at top speed, until he collapsed from exhaustion. A couple of the cuts on his face hadn't closed, and hot blood was still dripping in his eye. He lay there, flat on his furry stomach, whimpering quietly. Well, he'd done it. He'd removed the temptation. And it hurt. Hurt horribly. He sighed. Now what should he do?

"Ooooowwwwwwooooo!"

His ears pricked at the sound. That was close. Very close. Way too close. He raised his head and was shocked to see the white female wolf standing about ten feet away. And yet.. he didn't feel worried. He sat up slightly. "What do you want?"

The wolf cocked her head and looked at him. She took a couple of steps toward him and whined quietly.

Spike looked at her. "Do I know you?"

Whimper, and a couple more steps toward him. Now she was less than two feet away. She leaned forward and licked at his snout gently, cleaning off the blood. Spike couldn't help it, his eyes closed and he leaned toward her. She cleaned the blood off his snout and face, even gently licking it off his eye, then she stepped back away from him and sat down.

Spike opened his eyes and regarded the wolf. "Thanks, Beauty," he said quietly, naming the female wolf just off the top of his head. "You want me to come with you, don't you?"

Whine, gentle nuzzle.

Spike ducked his head and shook it slightly. "Sorry, Beauty. I can't. I've got to..." He cocked his head. "Well, you know what? I can come with you. It'll be better than being alone, anyway. Besides, you look like you know where the food is."

A happy yip. Spike was beginning to think that this wolf could understand him. Or maybe his telepathic link was allowing her to understand the thoughts behind his words. That made more sense. He stood up, facing Beauty, and wagged his tail a little. "Okay, then, Beauty. Lead the way."

She wagged her tail and gave him a quick lick on the snout again, then turned and walked a few steps, then looked back to make sure that he was following her, which he was. He walked up next to her and they walked off side by side.

After they'd been walking for awhile, they came upon four other Dire Wolves. Three females and one young male. To Spike's surprise, all four wolves greeted him as if he was... their leader... He looked them over. The three females were mostly brown and silver. The female that he'd christened Beauty was pure white, and the small male, no more than maybe six months old, was white with silver markings. He sniffed at each of them, and was surprised to find that while he wasn't related to any of the females, the young male smelled... half like him. And half like... Beauty. He sat down hard when the realization hit him.

These wolves where his pack. He was the pack leader. The young male was his son. And Beauty.. Beauty was his mate. A family. Spike had a family.

Author's Notes 2: Ok. Remember what I said earlier. S/B, so don't complain about this, kk? I'm making a point. Try to remember that. So, no reviews telling me that I'm nuts for doing this. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! Thank you. Also, there might be a new chap of Test Subject up later this week, I'm working through a plot problem. But only expect ONE new chap a week on both of these. I can't write all the time. I'm working on my second book, and still ironing things out with my publisher. PLEASE REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 6: One Little Star

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

_(UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE: I VASTLY apologize for the overabundance of songs in the next few chapters. I don't know WHAT I was eating when I wrote this, but this isn't intended to be a song-fic. I'm leaving the songs in for now, but I may later edit and remove them if I ever decide to. Thanks for your patience.)_

Author's Notes: Once again, I think this is gonna be a short chap. Mostly filler to lead up to the coming epiphanies. We'll get to more action soon, I promise. I've gotten my point across to Buffy, and now it's time to start getting one across to Spike. Both points have to be made, before things can begin to go the way I want them. Whew. See what Joss makes us do? We have to fix everything!

Chapter 6: One Little Star

Two days. Spike had been gone for two days now. That was the same length of time it'd been since Dawn had spoken to Buffy. Aside from screaming at her when she found out that Buffy'd not only driven Spike away, but that she'd hurt him. As for Buffy, this particular 'escape' wasn't turning out the way she wanted it. Dawn was ignoring her, which hurt. Hurt even more because she knew she deserved it.

Giles had been catching glimpses of a pack of Dire Wolves that had been following them, but didn't say anything. He'd seen the leader. Buffy had told him that Spike had promised to be with them when it was time for them to go, and Giles was glad to see that he seemed to be keeping his end of the agreement.

That afternoon, Buffy'd broken down, confessing not only everything that Spike'd done for her, and everything that they'd done together (the abridged version, since Dawn was present), but also that she loved him, and was terrified that she'd lost him now.

Dawn hadn't been able to handle Buffy's emotional breakdown, and had begun speaking to her again. Everyone had cuddled around the distraught Slayer. Even Xander, who still had a marked dislike of their vampire companion, but was also appalled at what Buffy'd done. Hating Spike was one thing. Using his caring for her for her own selfish needs was another thing entirely. Xander'd decided that when Spike came back.. if he came back.. he owed him a massive apology.

That night, not too far from the main group's camp, Spike laid with his wolf pack. His family, now. He rested next to Beauty, with little Will (which was what he'd christened the male pup) on his back, much like Dawn had done not too long before. His Nibblet. He missed her. Missed all of them, really. But he couldn't go back, could he? After what Buffy'd done. He'd asked her if she trusted him once, and her response had been 'sometimes'. She hadn't known how much hope that'd given him. He'd deluded himself into thinking that, if he just kept being with her, kept the relationship on her terms, that she'd eventually fall in love with him. Stupid, pathetic William. Why didn't he just sit down and write her some 'bloody awful' poetry, huh? He sighed, shifting between his canine companions.

Truth was, he had written her poetry. Several times. Had a little notebook full of the stuff. He'd been saving it for when.. when she loved him back. Another pathetic waste of time. She'd never love him. It made him very glad that wolves were incapable of crying. He whimpered softly, and Beauty nuzzled him gently.

Beauty was confused. She had her mate back. Her mate that she'd forced the pack to leave their hunting grounds to find. But he wasn't the same. He smelled of Smilodon, and Mammoth. Of Dinofelis, Hyena, and Rhino. And he was sad. Beauty was just a wolf, without the benefits of a human (or vampire) intelligence to guide her, but she still was intelligent enough to know that something was very wrong with her mate. But her loyalty was to him, and she would help him through it. No matter what it was.

The sleeping pile that night was centered around Buffy, who was still upset from her afternoon breakdown. Around midnight, when everyone was sound asleep, Dawn got up slowly. Extracting herself from the pile of slumbering mammals, and walking to yet another cliff that was nearby. She sat there, staring up at the stars. The constellations were the same as in her time, and it was comforting in an odd way. Just seeing something that wasn't so radically different from the 'norm'.

She was depressed, though. She missed Spike. Missed her unofficial big brother. She'd thought that things were finally looking up, and her stupid sister had to go and screw it all up again. Dawn sighed, resting her head on her too big forepaws. It wasn't Buffy's fault, really. Not all of it, anyway. She was having a hard year, after coming back from the dead and all. Having to leave heaven. To leave.. mom. Dawn swallowed. She didn't think that she would have been able to do that. To be pulled away from mom again, and have to come back.. here. Well, not here, but back to that world. A world that hadn't even noticed that she was missing.

Dawn sat up, and considered the stars again. A song floated through her mind, and she wasn't surprised to find that she could actually hear the music as well. A day or so earlier, they'd all discovered that they could project sounds that they had memorized telepathically. The song she was 'playing' now was from a very old Sesame Street movie. Follow That Bird, if she was remembering right. She let the music drift for awhile, before finally beginning to sing, unaware that the others were awake and listening.

"One little star,  
All alone in the sky.

Do you ever get lonely,  
As the twilight drifts by?"

The instrumental bridge played, and the other mammals sat up to listen. Dawn began again.

"One little star,  
In the darkening blue.

Do you long for another,  
Just the way that I do?"

Not too far away, Spike had also heard the music, and although Dawn couldn't seem to remember the bridge, he did. Thanks to Dru's cartoon and kiddie movie collection. He made a slight change to the lyrics, and sang quietly..

"Night begins to fill,  
Darkness ends the day,  
The people that I love are far away..."

Dawn continued from there, unaware that Spike was still singing also.

"One little star,  
Reaching out through the night,  
Do you shine on my someone?  
Are we sharing your light?

Oh, one little star,  
Shine on us both,  
Tonight..."

The entire group joined in for the finale.

"Oh, one little star...

Shine on us all,

Tonight..." Dawn let the music fade out.

As she made her way back to the group, everyone made a point of pretending to be asleep. The little Smilodon resituated herself atop Giles' furry back, and sighed, quietly looking up at the sky one last time. "Good night, Spike," she whispered.

A silver and white wolf, not too far away, was looking up at the same stars, and whispered softly, "Good night, Bit."

Author's Notes 2: Like I said, short. But I'm beginning to make a point to Spike. Has anyone caught it yet?

Extra Disclaimer: The song "One Little Star" is from the Sesame Street movie "Follow That Bird". It doesn't belong to me.


	8. Chapter 7: Where I Belong?

Disclaimer, Summary, Ect.: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: Okay. I'm gonna start sorting things out now. Bear with me. )

**Chapter 7: Where I Belong?**

Spike traveled with his pack, leading them. He knew he was confusing them by continuing to head away from where their perceived territory was, but he had to keep within scent distance of the others. Had to know when they reached the Tar Pits. He'd promised.

And it also helped him to occasionally check up on them. If he would actually do that. Which he didn't... on purpose, anyway. Or so he told himself.

The pack was becoming restless, however. The unrelated females had taken to grumbling amongst themselves, and quieting whenever Spike, Little Will, or Beauty came near. They hadn't seemed to notice that Spike couldn't really understand them, yet. But he was getting better. Body language was a main means of communication among wolves, he knew that from the Discovery Channel. So he paid attention to postures. They, on the other hand, were somehow able to at least partially understand his thought-speech words. It was still unclear how that was happening, when every other animal around seemed oblivious to the thought words. But the pack understood. And they were communicating pretty clearly, too. They were hungry. Soon, they would have to hunt.

Giles uprooted a small tree. It was an accident, really. He'd been using it to scratch an itch on his side, and it just tipped over. But, now that it was over, the group of Furballs that had been living beneath it were scurrying around and trying to avoid the Hyena, Dinofelis', and Smilodon cub that were pouncing on them. The adult Smilodon, Buffy, was just sitting off to herself. She'd just returned from a short walk. Giles lumbered over to her, holding his trunk up in greeting. "Buffy. Aren't you hungry?"

She looked up. "Not really." She sat up and gazed up at the huge Mammoth. "I saw them."

Giles was confused. "Who? The others?"

The Smilodon shook her maned head. "No. Sp- The wolf pack." Motioned with a paw. "They're about a quarter mile back that way. Where we saw those horse things earlier."

"The Protohippus, you mean?"

Shrugged slightly. "Yeah. The horse things." Laid back down. "I miss him, Giles."

"I know you do." He didn't say that it was her fault that he was gone. He knew that she was punishing herself enough. More than enough. "You need to eat, Buffy."

Little sigh. "I know. I will." Looked up at him. "Giles... Do you think.. when he comes back.. if he comes back, that he can ever forgive me?"

In his heart, Giles knew that Spike would. But, well, Buffy was a open wound for him. It would depend on what happened once they got home. If they got home. He said as much.

Buffy nodded, then stood up, stretching slightly. "I'm gonna go see if anyone saved me a Furball." She walked off in the direction of the others. Giles gave a nod, and went back to eating.

A few moments later, he paused, and raised his trunk to sniff the air. He could see Buffy and the others in the distance, but he could've sworn he smelled Smilodon. And a lot closer than where they were. Strange. Oh well, it was gone now. He went back to feeding.

The leader of the Smilodon pride slunk through the grass. This was it. This was the strange group that had taken their cub with them. But something was different. Yes. The wolf was gone. That would make it easier. Much easier. And afterwards... Mammoths always meant that the pride wouldn't have to hunt for a couple of weeks... He turned and headed back to where the rest of the pride waited. 

Not much further now. Buffy had caught a scent early that morning. A very promising scent. A smell that reminded her of asphalt. The Tar Pits. It had to be. So now the entire group were moving as fast as they could in the direction of the scent.

Xander trotted up next to Buffy, said quietly. "Hey, Buff.. How ya doin'?"

She glanced at the Hyena. "Mm. Okay. I guess. Looking forward to getting to the Tar Pits. Cause then we can..." She trailed off and paused. Turned to the Mammoth behind her. "Giles? Why were we going to the Tar Pits again?"

The Watcher tugged on a large hunk of grass with his trunk as he replied. "Well, they're a landmark. They'll tell us where we are. And then we can go about finding our way back home..." He trailed off. "Oh no."

Xander looked up at the Mammoth. "What 'oh no'? Please tell me you didn't say 'oh no'."

Giles dropped his grass. "Spike said that he knew how to get back to Sunnydale from the Tar Pits. But he's not here now. And I've never even been to LA. Let alone been there long enough to know the way back without road signs. Or roads, for that matter."

Dawn hopped off of Anya's Rhino back, and trotted up to her sister. "Wait a minute." She looked at Giles. "You're saying that, even when we get to the Tar Pits, we still can't get home! But the amulet has started to dim a little!" She held it away from herself with a paw, showing that it had indeed dimmed. Slightly, but it had still dimmed. She let the amulet fall back to rest against her chest again. Whimpered a little. "I wanna go home... I want Spike back."

"So do I..", Buffy whispered, and gently placed a ham-sized paw on her little sister's back. "And we will get home. I promise you that, Dawnie."

"Yeah," Xander said brightly. Looked at everyone. "Remember the song? From when life was a musical a few weeks ago?"

"Which one?", Anya said, lumbering up beside the Hyena. "Cause I personally participated in four. That I remember."

Xander shook his head. "Early on. Remember?" Hummed a little. Everyone recognized it.

Buffy allowed her mental music projector to work again, sang softly.

"What can't we face if we're together?  
What's in this place that we can't weather?

Apocalypse.  
We've all been there.  
The same old trips,  
Why should we care?"

The others joined in, as they had in the original version.

"What can't we do if we get in it?  
We'll work it through within a minute.

We have to try.  
We'll pay the price.  
It's do or die..."

Buffy alone. "Hey, I've died twice."

Everyone again. "What can't we face if we're together?  
What's in this place that we can't weather?  
There's nothing we can't face..."

Anya alone. "Except for bunnies..."

Xander glanced at her, chuckling. "Ya know, Ayn, I still don't get what you have against bunnies."

Anya started to speak, but Giles silenced her. "I do believe we've had enough musical flashbacks for one day, thank you."

Anya snorted. "Fine. I was just going to say that they are far to cute to be harmless. That's all."

Xander gave his fiancé' a look. "Whatever you say, honey."

Spike was asleep. Sound asleep. Dreaming about being back home. And vaguely wondering when he'd begun thinking of Sunnydale as 'home'. But the dream was rapidly turning into one of his recurring nightmares. For once, he managed to shake himself awake before Buffy's lifeless body hit the ground after jumping from the tower through the portal. He yelped when he woke up, then sat up, panting.

The first thing he noticed was the absence of his lupine companions. He stood, stretched, and shook himself, then began sniffing around for their scent trails. They couldn't have just.. vanished, right? Ah. There was Beauty's scent. He followed the trail into one of the stands of tall grass that popped up every now an then. Why would they have gone in here? Maybe there was food... Then he saw them. And, more importantly, saw what they were going to do.

They were stalking the herd of Protohippus, an early form of horse with three hoofed toes on each foot. Oh no. And they were very close to attacking. In fact, there they went!

Beauty streaked out of the grass, Little Will on her heels. The other females ringed around, cutting one of the horses off from the rest of the herd. It was a perfectly executed maneuver. Just as good as the one he'd instructed the others to make when they were after... Bambi.. Something inside of him snapped. This was wrong. Totally wrong. And he couldn't let it happen. Laws of nature be damned. Without even thinking about what he was doing, he ran out, and flying tackled one of the unnamed females, just as she was about to leap onto the horse and deliver the killing bite to the back of the head. The two went down in a tangle of fur and paws, and rolled to their feet. Spike snarled.

"No. I showed you the Furballs. We are not hunting."

The female actually growled at him. That was surprising. He was the leader. Why would she... And now one of the other females was doing it, too. He turned to Beauty. "Luv, tell them. Tell them that we can eat the Fur- Where are you going?"

She had been staring at him, head cocked, something that looked like sadness shining in her brown eyes. Then she'd turned, and started to walk away. She whimpered, and Little Will, backed away from him as well. Spike took a step forward. "Hey.. Wait. You can't leave me! I thought... We're supposed to be..." Whimpered and sat down.

Beauty whimpered, and came back for a moment, nuzzling him. She seemed to be saying that, though she didn't understand why he was acting so strange, that if he ever needed her, she'd come. She'd help. But she had to go. They all did. They had to hunt. And Spike was holding them back. For the good of the family, one would have to be left behind. And that one was Spike.

He watched them walk away. Going in the direction that the Protohippus had gone. A harsh reality had just hit him. The pack was his family, in a way. It was the family of the wolf body that he inhabited. But it wasn't his family in every other way that counted. His family was a mile away, headed for the Tar Pits. And he realized with a shock that he had lost their scents. He finally knew where he belonged, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He whimpered, and laid his head on his forepaws. Whispered, without the aid of music, "Understand, we'll go hand in hand, but we'll walk alone in fear. Where do we go from here?" Sighed. "Where do I go from here?"

Author's Notes 2: Once again, sorry for the short chaps. I know I'm straining a bit on this stuff. But! Lots of action in the next chap! I promise!

Extra Disclaimer: The songs "What Can't We Face" and "Where Do We Go From Here" are the property of Joss and Co. Not mine. Except for my copy of the OMWF soundtrack. )


	9. Chapter 8: Reconciliation

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: I hope that things will begin to make sense by the end of this chap. ) The song lyrics used in this chap are from the song "Sound The Bugle" on the "Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron" soundtrack. The artist is Bryan Adams. And, hey, if you have that CD, I recommend that you play tracks 9 and 10 while reading this. They're what I was listening to while I wrote it. Those, and "Sacrifice" off of the OMWF soundtrack. I needed sad music, and that one always gets me. sniff

**Chapter 8: Reconciliation**

That night was horribly cold, and Spike felt it. The kind of cold that chills you to the bone, and leaves you shivering long after the sun has come up. The kind of cold that being truly alone causes. The Dire Wolf did his best to curl up, under the cocked up roots of one of the few trees that dotted the plains, in the shadow of a small hill, trying to keep the chilling wind off himself. There was no kidding himself anymore. He couldn't hide behind the wolves. He knew now that he wasn't one of them. Would never be one of them. Never had been.

He didn't think that there'd ever been a longer night in the history of the world. Maybe it was just because he hadn't been getting very much sleep, or maybe it was because of the loneliness. Whatever it was, he was certainly glad when he saw the first rays of sun coming up over the mountains. He crawled out of the makeshift shelter of the tree's roots, and stretched. Began walking, even though he didn't really know where he was going.

During the confrontation with the wolf pack the previous day, he'd totally lost the scent of the Scoobies. So, now, he wandered aimlessly in the direction that he thought that the Tar Pits would be. He didn't know what he'd do now. A song began to play in his head, and he sung the lyrics quietly to himself, along with the artist's voice that he could almost hear from his memory.

"Sound the bugle now.  
Play it just for me.  
As the seasons change,  
Remember how I used to be.

Now I can't go on.  
I can't even start.  
I've got nothing left,  
Just an empty heart."

He wandered up a rather steep hill, head down, tail tucked between his legs.

"I'm a soldier,  
Wounded, so I must give up the fight.  
There's nothing more for me,  
Lead me away.  
Or leave me lying here.."

He looked back over his shoulder, half expecting to see either the pack, or the Scoobies following him. Was a little disappointed when he saw nothing. Nothing but the small herd of Protohippus that were grazing nearby. And the pack. But they were about a half a mile away, lounging beside a fresh kill. He sighed. He could be down there, with them. Instead, he was alone. All because of a stupid conscience that he wasn't even supposed to have in the first place.

"Sound the bugle now.  
Tell them I don't care.  
There's not a road I know,  
That leads to anywhere.

Without a light,  
I fear that I will stumble in the dark.  
Lay right down and decide not to go on."

He reached the top of the hill, almost deciding to go in the direction of the song, when he caught a scent. Several scents, actually. Mammoth, Giant Hyena, Dinofelis, Woolly Rhino, and Smilodon. Mixed with a scent that was quite similar to heated asphalt. He cocked his head, and followed his nose to the edge of a small drop off. Sure enough, in the distance, he could make out the Tar Pits, and even better, the others. The Scoobies! He quelled his first instinct, which was to run down there and leap into the middle of them like a linebacker, because he had just caught another scent. He scanned the valley below, and then saw what had his friends lined up nervously, with their backs to the Tar Pits. About a quarter mile away, and closing fast, was the largest pride of Smilodons that he (or rather, the wolf) had ever seen. And they were lead by a huge male. He must have been almost twice Buffy's size.

His eyes flew back and forth between the advancing pride, and his friends, who seemed to be preparing to make a stand. He wanted to help them. Had to help them. The last parts of the song began to play.

"Then from on high,  
Somewhere in the distance,  
There's a voice that calls,  
'Remember who you are'.

If you lose yourself,  
Your courage soon will follow,  
So be strong tonight.  
Remember who you are."

Suddenly, the answer came to him. But he couldn't do it alone. He turned, and his eyes locked on the wolves. He'd need Beauty's help, and any other wolf that would come with him. He turned and ran toward them.

"You're a soldier now,  
Fighting in a battle,  
To be free once more.  
Yeah, that's worth fighting for!"

He ran as fast as he could, and made it to the lounging wolf pack in record time. Two of the females stood and snarled at him. To their surprise, he snarled back. "Back off. I'm not here for you." He turned to Beauty. "Beauty, luv.. Please. I need your help. My friends.. My pack.." Shook his head. "My family. They're in trouble. Smilodons. Lots of 'em. I know we can't fight them, but I have a plan. Please, tell me you'll help."

Beauty looked at him, whatever was allowing her to understand his thought-speech was obviously still working. She yipped a couple of times, and stepped forward, bumping his snout with hers. Her mate was in trouble, and he needed her help. That was all she needed to know. To Spike's surprise, Little Will and one of the other females stepped forward as well. He wagged his tail happily. "Thanks, guys. Not much time. Come on." He turned and ran toward the herd of Protohippus. "We have to cause a stampede, do you understand?"

A chorus of barks and growls came from behind. Just to make sure they got the message, he mentally projected the scene from The Lion King where the hyenas cause the Wildebeest to stampede. The four wolves spread out, and snapped at the hooves of the giant horses, barking and howling up a storm. "We've got to make them go west!", Spike howled to the others. Within the next few moments, the panicked herd was moving, with three wolves chasing it. Spike was out in front, steering the lead horses. "Come on, ya bleedin' glue factories! Let's get a move on!" He howled again, and was answered by the others at the back of the herd.

"Ooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Tar Pits, the Scoobies were preparing to do whatever they could to hold off the Smilodons. When they'd awakened that morning, it had been to the terrifying scent of Smilodon. Extremely close. It hadn't taken long for them to figure out what had happened. The pride that Buffy and Dawn's bodies were a part of had found them. And they wanted their cub back.

Buffy was pacing in front of them, her sadness at Spike's leaving momentarily put aside in favor of Family Protection Mode. "We can't let them get Dawn, no matter what. I hope we don't have to hurt them, but if it comes down to it, and it's them or us, it's the same as it was at the tower. I'm not letting anyone get Dawn. Over my dead body."

Xander stepped forward. "We're with you, Buff. No one gets Dawn."

Giles waved his trunk around. "Yes. We are not losing a member of this family."

From between Giles' huge forelegs, Dawn whimpered, "We already have. I miss Spike."

Willow nodded. "Yeah. We could really use his wolf about now."

Buffy froze for a moment, then shook herself visibly. "He's not here. We have to do this together, Willow. All of us. They've got the numbers advantage, but we've got the brains. Human intelligence and animal strength. We'll win this. We'll-"

"Here they come!", Giles trumpeted, stamping his forefeet. The group of Smilodons were less than five hundred yards away now, and closing fast. The leader roared and charged, with the others coming behind him. As the Scoobies prepared their defense, they all felt the ground begin to shake.

"An earthquake?", Tara asked, looking around.

Giles, who had a higher perspective than any of them, scanned the horizon, and trumpeted with excitement. "There's a stampede! The Protohippus! They're headed straight for the Smilodons!"

Buffy watched as the herd of Protohippus basically cut the Smilodon pride in half, plowing right through and over them. "I wonder what started them-"

"OOOOOWWWWOOOOOO!" "I'M COMING, EVERYONE!"

That voice! They knew that voice! The entire group, in unison, shouted one word. "SPIKE!"

The silver and white Dire Wolf shot out of the herd of Protos, and ran after the Smilodons that were still on the attack. Right that moment, the first wave of Smilodons reached the Scoobies, who met them with claws, teeth, and tusks flailing. Spike flew into the fight, slamming one of the Smilodons right out of the air as it leaped toward Buffy. He hit the ground, howling and snarling.

"AhhhH!", Dawn suddenly yelled. She'd been excited by seeing Spike, and had moved out from the protective cage of Giles legs, and now the huge leader of the Smilodons had her in his mouth! "HELP! BUFFY! SPIKE!"

"Dawn!", the Smilodon and Dire Wolf yelled in unison. But just then, an attacking Smilodon charged Buffy, preventing her from acting to save her sister. Spike leaped into action, using the unconscious body of one of the Smilodons as a springboard, he leaped onto the huge leader's back and sank his fangs into the mane on the back of his neck. The Smilodon roared in pain and rage, and dropped Dawn. Spike cut off his attack to grab Dawn by the scruff of her neck in his mouth, and turned to run toward Giles. He'd almost made it, when he was flying tackled from behind.

Dawn flew out of his jaws, and skidded to a stop in front of Giles, who scooped her up in his trunk and set her on his back. "Hang on, Dawn!"

Buffy leaped to help Spike, but the giant Smilodon shook both of them off. Spike shook his head, and yelled to the others, "Get on the other side of the Pits! Put the tar between you and the pride!"

Xander, Willow, and Tara had lead some of the pride away, and they'd also won their fight with them. They were coming back to help, but when they heard Spike's cry, and the urgency of it, they stayed on the far side of the pit. Giles moved as well, knocking attacking Smilodons with his tusks and trunk, and kicking with his massive legs. One benefit of being a Mammoth, anything you kick stays down.

Anya was standing with her back to the Pits, snorting and swinging her horns at anything that dared to come close. There was an old dead tree, barely hanging on to the soil at the edge of the Tar Pits next to her. Spike didn't know why he noticed that tree, but would soon be happy that he did. Meanwhile, he had to get that giant Smilodon off of Buffy.

"Ooooowwwwwwooooo!" He charged with a howl, and slammed the giant with his full weight, knocking him rolling. Buffy stood shakily, and he could see blood running in her pelt, but it didn't look serious. "Get on the other side! With Rupert, Slayer! GO!"

For once, she didn't question him, just ran. Spike snarled at the giant cat. "Come on, Kitty. Let's play tag." He leaped toward it, passing it on one side, and getting in a bite to it's flank as he passed. "You're it!" That had just the effect he wanted it to. The cat roared and charged him. He ran. Straight at the Tar Pits. "Anya! Tree! There's a tree next to you! Make it lean!"

The Rhino turned and shoved the tree, hard, until it was tilted at a forty-five degree angle. "STOP!", Spike yelled. "Get on the other side!" Anya lowered her nose horn and ran around the edge of the pit, knocking one of the final Smilodons aside with her truck-sized body.

Spike looked behind himself. Good. The cat was still coming. That was what he needed. It was so blinded by rage that it didn't see what he saw. Didn't know that a wolf could jump farther because he had longer legs. He ran up the slanted tree, feeling the wood splintering and cracking beneath his weight, and leaped off the top of the trunk, sailing over the deadly tar below. He heard the cat following him, but his weight had pushed the tree further down. The Smilodon didn't have the same height to his jump that Spike had. He heard a splash behind him, and a roaring sound that almost sounded pitiful. But he didn't look. Uh-oh.

Another, more pressing problem had just presented itself. He could see now that his jump was going to fall short. He wasn't going to make it. He remembered when Buffy had jumped from the tower, knowing full well that the portal would kill her. All for Dawn. Now it was his turn. He would hit the tar, sink, drown, and die in a body that didn't even belong to him. Everything was going in slow motion. The tar was coming up to slap him in the face. Closer. Closer. Closer. Stop. Wait a minute. Stop?

Something had grabbed him. A Mammoth's trunk. Giles! Giles backed slowly away from the pit, pulling the one leg that he'd had to put into the tar out with some difficulty. The Mammoth backed away from the Tar Pits, and carefully placed the Dire Wolf on his feet. Spike looked around. "Is everyone alright?" He wasn't really shocked when a mini Smilodon tackled him.

"You came back! I knew you'd come back," Dawn said happily, nuzzling the wolf. "I missed you. We all missed you."

He looked around, at the group that had assembled around him. His eyes locked on each one, and they all nodded in turn. Yes. They had missed him. He got to his feet, and shook his head a little. Ooh. He was dizzy. "Where's Buffy?"

Giles moved aside, and Spike could now see that Buffy'd been standing behind him the whole time. She ducked her head and moved forward slowly, a posture of submission. "Spike.. I.. I'm sorry."

He sat. Wasn't at all surprised when the group moved away to give them a private moment. "Buffy, I want to believe you. But you've said it before. Why should I think that now is any different?"

She sat in front of him, and looked at the Tar Pits. The remainder of the Smilodon pride was on the far side, moving off slowly, disorganized after losing their leader. "Cause I know now. What I did. I mean, I knew what I was doing before, just... Not knowing, you know?" She scuffed a forepaw in the short grass. "Chalk one up to Babbling Buffy," she muttered.

Spike chuckled quietly. "No. I understand perfectly. It took me awhile to realize what was actually going on, too. In fact, it took you actually being invisible for me to realize that you'd always been invisible to me." He held up a paw to stop her from responding. "Let me finish, luv. I need to say this. That day, when we were together, I could smell you. I could feel you. I could hear you, but I couldn't see you. You've always been invisible to me, because I love you, and you just saw me as a... A drug. Something to take away the pain of living again. I couldn't live like that anymore. That's why I threw you out that day, luv."

She knew. Deep down, she'd always known. But somehow, hearing him say it made it more real. "I hurt you," she said quietly. It wasn't a question. "I'm sorry. But.. Things have changed. And I don't just mean our bodies and current locations. I.. I've had feelings for you for some time, Spike. I just.. I didn't know what they were. That night, on the cliff, when you left... I finally figured it out." She looked up at the sky, which was becoming cloudy despite the brightness of the day.

Spike stood to his feet, and faced her. "Buffy, I don't want you to say it. Don't say it, and then the moment we're back in Sunnydale again, if you still feel the same way, then say it. I can't hear it now. Not without wondering if it's just spoken out of convenience."

She stood indignantly. "It's not! Spike, I lo-"

"Buffy." His quiet voice was pained. "Don't say it if you're going to take it back later. Don't say if when we get home, I'm just going to be.." Swallowed. "Beneath you again."

She moved next to him, placed a paw on his shoulder. "I was wrong, Spike. Angry, when I said that. I used something you told me in confidence against you, and I'm sorry. I know I've hurt you. I know I've been wrong, but I want to make this work now. Really work. You aren't a.. Drug, to me. Not anymore. And I love you."

She'd said it. Spike was very grateful that wolves don't cry. He looked to her. "Slayer.. Buffy.. You're sure? You really mean this?"

She smiled mentally. He was giving her a way out. Wonderful, sweet Spike. Her Spike. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you, Spike." If she'd had her normal body, now would've been the time to chew her lower lip. As it was, she just made a quiet whimper. "You.. You still love me, right? I mean.. I saw.. Them." She pointed with a paw across the Tar Pits, where Beauty, Little Will, and the female Dire Wolf were sitting, watching them. "They're your family, aren't they?"

Spike gave a bit of a nod. "Yes. And no. They're the wolf's family. Not mine. Took me awhile to realize that, though." He looked over his shoulder, at the rest of the Scoobies who were a few yards away. "That's my family, over there. Same as you, luv." Locked eyes with her. "I love you, Buffy. I'll always love you. Smilodon, or Slayer. It doesn't matter to me."

She couldn't hold back. She moved toward him, and nuzzled her head under his chin, aware of the wolf eyes that were watching them. "I love you too, Spike." 

Beauty watched from a distance. Her mate seemed happy, now. Happy with that Smilodon. His pack. That group was his pack. But also, not. She got up, and nudged Little Will to his feet, barking a quick command to the other female. Something told her that, when this strange pack's journey was over, she'd have her mate back again. Until then, all she could do was wait. Something that all predators are inherently good at. She could wait. She had time.

Behind Buffy and Spike, Dawn turned and slunk back to the others. Her spy mission was complete, and she had happy news. If Buffy loved Spike, and Spike loved Buffy, that meant that he wouldn't leave when they got home. Good. Her big brother was here to stay.

That night, the group slept close to the Tar Pits (the smell wasn't that bad, when you got used to it). It was good to have everyone together again. Dawn was once again on Spike's back, and Spike was squashed between Buffy and Giles. He was happy, finally. Now, if only they could get back to their own time, and out of the animal bodies, everything would be perfect. Starting tomorrow, they'd head for Sunnydale, and, hopefully, the way home.

Author's Notes 2: Whoo! That was long! And action packed! Yay! I've had this chap rolling around in my head for the better part of a week now! It's great to finally get it out on 'paper'. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you.

Extra Disclaimer: The song "Sound The Bugle" doesn't belong to me. Except for my copy of the Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron soundtrack. Bryan Adams, please don't sue.


	10. Chapter 9: I Will Always Return

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: Well, now that most of the personal problems have been fixed, it's time to throw our friends some more... Natural, challenges. ) I think this story is about half over, but I'm not sure. It may be longer. I've got a lot of ideas. So many, that I'm certain that I won't be able to use them all. But, I'm gonna put as much stuff in as possible, so don't worry. OOT is far from finished. And, yeah. I know that it's turning into a quasi-musical, but I really like using some of my favorite songs, and they really set the mood, you know? I hope no one minds.

**Chapter 9: I Will Always Return**

Not too far from the Tar Pits, the group was sleeping. The morning chorus of birds had barely begun, and everything was peaceful. In the pre-dawn light, the strange herd slept, piled together as usual, with a couple of noticeable differences. The Dire Wolf was still in between the Mammoth and Smilodon, but both the Smilodon and Dire Wolf were on their sides, with their eight legs tangled together. Atop the nest of legs and paws, the juvenile Smilodon slept, contented that her family was once again whole. As for the adult Smilodon and the Dire Wolf, if they'd had their normal bodies, they'd have been smiling. Together. Finally. Nothing could possibly disturb this moment.

Except maybe the earthquake that started an instant later.

Everyone was shaken awake, and the herd of Protohippus that had been grazing nearby stampeded away from the Tar Pits. Giles stood to his feet, his pillar-like legs ensuring that the shaking of the ground didn't bother him as much as the others. The same was true for Anya, who was looking around with her nearsighted Rhino's eyes and asking for someone to tell her what was going on. Unfortunately, the others didn't have the same stability.

"Ahh!"

"Whoa!"

"Oof!"

"Geroff me, Harris!"

"Help! Buffy! I'm stuck!"

Xander and Spike had collided almost instantly after they stood up, pinning Dawn between them. It didn't help when the three of them toppled over. Buffy, Willow and Tara had their legs spread, and claws digging into the dirt to keep them upright as the shaking continued. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the earthquake ended. Buffy made her way over to the pile of Hyena and juvenile Smilodon that were on top of Spike. Xander managed to regain his footing, and clamored off of the vampire turned Dire Wolf. Once he'd moved, Dawn easily got down. Spike made a little grunt, and shook himself as he stood up. He now had mud all in his fur from being squashed down into a rather wet patch of ground. Dawn shook herself, then looked at Spike and said the first thing she thought of.

"Eww."

Spike gave a half growl, and tried to shake the mud off. "Oh, come on! What is this? Quick drying mud?"

Xander laughed. "Now you're brown. Like me."

"Very funny, Harris. At least I don't have spots."

Buffy tried to hide a giggle. She was going to be Support Girl for her new boyfriend. Walked over, and began trying to pull the mud clumps out of his fur with her claws. "Yuck. It's really stuck."

Giles looked around. "There appears to be a small lake about a half a mile that way. We could all use some fresh water, and Spike can wash that mud off. Then, we'll figure out how to get back to Sunnydale."

Dawn used her forepaw to raise the amulet up where she could see it. "Oh! Tell me it's not possible for it to get brighter again? Cause I really thought that it'd be dimmer than this."

Giles considered it. "Well, perhaps it's a good thing that it isn't dimming." He pointed with his trunk at the nearby mountains. "If I'm right about where we need to go, the fastest way is over that mountain."

Before anyone could protest, Spike spoke up. "Rupert's right. I was worried about this. That mountain range doesn't exist, really, in our time. It's just a bunch of hills. But now, here, it's a true mountain range." Looked at everyone, sounding rather like a text book. "We're on the San Andreas Fault line right now. That's probably what caused that little shaker earlier. It's also what maintains the Tar Pits. There may be aftershocks later."

"Oh joy," Buffy muttered. "Now I remember why I didn't like living in LA."

Dawn moved next to her sister. "What about the Smilodons? What if they come back?"

Giles shook his head. "They probably won't. They've lost their leader. It will take time for them to regroup. By then, hopefully, we'll be too far away for them to follow."

"Hopefully," Xander added under his breath. Then he spoke up. "What about food? I'm startin' to get hungry again."

"Are you ever not hungry?", Willow said playfully, poking the Hyena with a paw.

"Very funny, Will."

Spike sniffed. "I don't think there'll be Furballs too near the fault. You saw the Proto's. Animals don't like it here. We need to get some distance between us and the main fault line." Looked at Giles. "I vote we go find that lake Rupert saw. Fresh water might mean fish. And, since it's that far away from the Pits, there's a chance for Furballs, too."

One by one, they all agreed, and then the group began moving toward the lake.

"No! Dawn! AHH!"

PLOOSH!

Dawn fell over backwards, laughing and pointing at the now totally soaked Hyena that she'd pushed into the lake. "You needed a bath!"

Spike, Buffy, and the others laughed at Xander, as he stood up in the shallow water and shook himself. "It's not funny!", he said indignantly. "This water's COLD!"

Spike chuckled and waded over to the Hyena. He'd been in the lake for some time, and had finally managed to get all the clinging mud out of his fur. Tapped a paw on Xander's sloped shoulder. "Take it easy, mate," the wolf said amicably. "The water's not that bad, once ya get used to it."

Xander tensed a little when the wolf touched him, but relaxed after he heard the wolf's friendly words. Half grin, as well as the Hyena's face could manage it. "Yeah. I know." Shot a glare at the still giggling juvenile Smilodon on the bank. "But she pushed me in."

Spike lolled his wolf mouth open, his version of a smile. "Leave it to me." He dunked himself mostly under the water, soaking his long fur, then stood back up and walked to the bank, stopping when he was standing right next to Dawn. "Hey, Bit. You know that it's not polite to shove people in water. Or Hyenas in lakes."

Dawn gave the wet wolf a sheepish look. "I know. But it was funny."

Spike chuckled. "You know what else is funny?"

"What?"

"This." With that, he proceeded to shake himself thoroughly, soaking Dawn, who squealed and laughed. When he finished, he grinned at her. "I thought that was quite funny."

"I didn't." Buffy's voice. From behind them. Spike turned slowly, and realized that Dawn hadn't been the only Smilodon that he'd soaked. Buffy was dripping. She growled, playfully. "C'mere, wolfie." Stalked toward him.

"Now, now, luv..", Spike said nervously, backing up. "Easy. It was an accident."

"So?" She crouched, preparing to pounce and knock both of them into the lake, until Giles' voice stopped her.

"Buffy. Now. No need to continue this vicious circle." The two Smilodons and the Dire Wolf looked at the Mammoth as he approached slowly, holding his trunk at an odd angle. "Especially before I've had a chance to join." He uncurled his trunk, and sprayed all three of them with lake water that he'd been holding.

"GILES!"

"RUPERT!"

"ACK!"

All three had exclaimed when the water had hit them, but then they all laughed and leaped into the lake, splashing at the Mammoth. This 'horse' play went on for quite some time, until all of them were soaked. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya had even joined in after awhile. The sun would be going down soon, so, since they'd all been fishing earlier, and were already well fed, they decided to find a place to sleep. They settled down together, although not in their usual sleeping pile just yet. It wasn't cold enough.

Spike was lounging on his back, enjoying the sun's warming rays while they lasted. All four paws in the air, eyes closed, with his tail slowly wagging. He was still in that position, when he sensed Buffy's approach. Without opening his eyes, he said, "Hey, luv."

Buffy sat down next to him, fighting the urge to giggle at his reclined position. "Hey, yourself." She needed to talk to him. Needed to be serious. "Spike?"

Still didn't open his eyes. "Yeah?"

Licked her lips, and ran her tongue over her saber fangs. "Can we talk?"

He opened one blue eye. "Thought that's what we were doing, luv."

She extended a claw, and drew patterns in the dirt with it. "Well, yeah. But.. I meant.. Talk, talk. You know? Like, serious talking."

He rolled over and sat up, shaking his head to clear it. "Sure." Stood to his feet and gestured with a paw. "Walk and talk?"

She nodded. "Good idea." The two began walking, side by side. And Buffy was once again struck with the similarity in their heights. The shoulders of the Smilodon were a little lower than the Dire Wolf's, almost exactly the same proportional difference that their normal bodies had. Spike had always been so close to her. An equal. Whether they were fighting, or helping each other, it was just so.. so.. evenly matched. She'd shocked herself once several years earlier when she'd realized that she actually looked forward to their fights. It was.. fun, having an equal. And she knew that Spike felt the same way. Why else would they have ignored all the chances that they had to kill each other?

"You still in there, luv?", Spike said, cocking his wolf's head at her.

Oops. She'd been lost in thought. "Yeah. Just thinking about us. Ya know?"

He chuckled. "You said that you wanted to talk. So far all we've done is walk."

She gave him a sheepish look. "Yeah. Sorry."

"Well?" He sat and looked at her. "What did you want to talk about?"

She sat across from him. Sighed. "I know I've already apologized for everything, but I want to make it clear."

"It is, luv. I know-"

"I know you know. I just..." She shook her head. "I don't know what I wanted to say. Just.." Looked at him. "Why'd you come back?"

He stood and nuzzled her a little. "I can't stay away from you, luv. I love you. You and your little pals, as much as it pains me to admit. They're my family." Bumped her snout with his. "But you're the main reason."

She smiled, but shook her head a little. "I know for me. But.. why?"

He smiled. "I think I know how to answer that."

"How?"

By way of answer, Spike began projecting music. Quiet, pretty. A guitar, with some other instruments in the background. After a moment, he began to sing.

"I hear the wind call your name.  
It calls me back home again.  
It sparks up the fire,  
A flame that still burns.  
Oh, it's to you, I will always return."

If Buffy could've, she would have blushed. The two began to walk again, as Spike continued his impromptu serenade.

"I still feel your breath,  
On my skin.

I hear your voice,  
Deep within.

The sound of my lover,  
A feeling so strong.  
To you, I will always belong.

Now I know it's true, yeah.  
My every road leads to you.

And in the hour of darkness, darlin',  
You light gets me through.

Wanna swim in your river,  
Be warmed by your sun,  
Bathe in your waters,  
Cause you are the one..."

By this point, they'd moved back near the lake, and Spike was still going strong. Buffy found, to her shock, that it didn't even bother her that the others were now close enough to hear the music, and the love song. In fact, she was flattered. And still, Spike sang.

"I can't stand the distance,  
I can't dream alone.  
I can't wait to see you,  
Yeah, I'm on my way home.

I'm on my way."

An instrumental part, and Spike playfully goaded Buffy into chasing him. He began singing again, as they ran side by side.

"Oh, I hear the wind,  
Call your name.  
The sound that leads me home again.

It sparks up the fire,  
A flame that still burns,  
Oh it's to you, I will always return."

To his surprise, Buffy began singing with him.

"Wanna swim in your river,  
Be warmed by your sun,  
Bathe in your waters,  
Cause you are the one..."

By then, the couple was walking up onto one of the many small hills, still singing together.

"I can't stand

I can't stand the distance.  
I can't dream alone.  
I can't wait to see you,  
Cause I'm on my way home.

Oh, I hear the wind.  
Call your name,  
The sound that leads me home again.  
It sparks up the fire,  
A flame that still burns.

Yeah,  
I'm on my way.  
I will always return.

Yes I will,  
Always return.."

Buffy left off as they sat down together at the top of the hill, gazing at the setting sun in the distance. Spike looked at her, love shining in his eyes, and finished the song.

"I've seen every sunset,  
And with all that I've learned..

It's to you, I will always,  
Always,  
Return."

Buffy leaned against him, nuzzling her head under his chin. Quietly, playfully. "Is that why you can never stay away from Sunnydale for very long?"

Spike laughed. "You're on to me, Slayer." Nuzzled back. "I mean it, though. Every word. I love you, and I promise that I'll never leave you again. Ever."

She smiled, said quietly, with a note of awe in her voice, "I know. I love you too, Spike." Was still surprised at how easy it actually was to say it. And how good it felt.

They laid atop the hill together, watching the rest of the sunset, then made their way back to the group, side by side.

Author's Notes 2: This was really just a fluffy filler chap. There's gonna be a whole new set of problems, starting next chap.

Extra Disclaimer: The song "I Will Always Return" is on the Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron soundtrack. It's not mine, I'm just borrowing


	11. Chapter 10: Hot Stuff

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: Uh.. I had something I wanted to say here, but... I don't think I can without giving the chapter's surprise away. So, I'll say it at the end. )

**Chapter 10: Hot Stuff**

Two days of walking since the lake, and they were once again in the foothills surrounding the mountains. After some debate, it was decided that straight up and over would indeed be the fastest way. Especially since the amulet was already dimming, and none of them were sure exactly how much time they had left. So, the little procession made it's way up the mountain. Which was easier than they thought.

"I wonder why the sides of this mountain are all... smooth," Dawn pondered, hopping over one of many strange cracks in the ground.

Xander shrugged, which looked rather strange, seeing as how his shoulders were already higher than his head. "Dunno. Maybe the earthquakes rounded it out. Spike did say that this mountain doesn't even exist in our time. Maybe it's... collapsing?"

"That's reassuring," the juvenile Smilodon muttered. "We're climbing over a collapsing mountain."

"It could be worse, Bit," Spike called from ahead of the group. "It could be a volcano. At this time, there were several active ones in this range." Then, quieter, so that no one but Buffy and Giles heard him, "In fact, this could BE a bloody volcano we're on."

Buffy trotted up next to her boyfriend, and bumped him with her shoulder. "Don't say things like that around Dawn. She's upset enough. Still blaming herself for gettin' us here in the first place."

Spike chuckled. "Well, I for one, am glad we came. There's a lot of stuff that's happened since we've been here, that probably would've taken... forever, back home." Nuzzled her. "One thing in particular."

She giggled, a sound that still surprised him when it came from the huge cat. "Good point. Besides. If we're here now, we're supposed to be. If being the Slayer has taught me one thing, it's that nothing happens by chance."

Giles chuckled from behind them. "Almost nothing. You must factor in free will, Buffy."

She shrugged. "Yeah, but.. Still.." Shook her head. "Never mind. I'm getting a headache. Let's talk about other things."

Dawn bounced up next to them, still jumping cracks. "Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings," she quoted with a giggle.

Spike bumped her with his snout, gently knocking her to the ground. Then, to everyone's surprise, he finished the quote. "And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings-"

The whole group said the finale, laughing all the while. "Callou, callay, we'll seize the day like cabbages and kings!" Then they all had to stop for a moment, for they were laughing too hard to continue.

Spike had rolled onto his back, he was laughing so hard. If he'd been human, he would've had to wipe a tear from his eye. "Oh.. bloody.. Alice In Wonderland... Bit..." Chuckled, trying to compose himself.

Dawn walked over, giggling. "Yeah?"

He looked at her, upside-down. "Why'd you have to bring that up? Now I'm gonna have that whole book goin' through my head for the rest of today."

"You've read it?" This, from Willow, who was sitting nearby.

Spike gave a nod. "Yeah. When I was human, it was my favorite book. I was always asking my Nanny to read to me, when I was little, and reading it myself when I got older." Chuckled. "I've probably got the whole thing memorized."

Xander laughed. "You had a Nanny?"

Spike rolled over, snorting at the Hyena. "Yes. Till I was... twelve, I think. We moved that year, and she died shortly after that. Then I went to live at my Granmum's." Half shrug. "It was a different time back then..." Cocked his head. "It's so strange to think that all of that, everything I remember, is actually in the future from here."

Buffy grinned, and moved to lie down next to him. "Yeah. I mean, none of us'll even be born for another.. what was it?"

"Ten thousand years," Spike and Giles said in unison, then stared at each other, sending the rest of the group into another laughing fit.

After the laughter had subsided, Spike shook his head and looked up at the Mammoth. "Never, and I mean never, do that again, Rupe."

"The feeling is mutual," the Woolly Mammoth replied, pulling a shrub out of the ground and shoving the whole thing in his mouth.

"Ewww," Dawn observed. "How can you eat that, Giles?"

He pulled the shrub, or rather, what was left of it, out of his mouth, and swallowed before answering. "Simple. I just keep telling myself that it's a giant broccoli spear."

Spike chuckled. "Good idea." Sighed. "When we get back, I don't care how eager to feed my body is, I'm eating nothing but salad for two weeks."

Buffy laughed, but nodded. "Me too. Salad bars. You don't appreciate them until you have to eat raw meat for a living."

"I am never looking a sushi again," Willow groaned. "I've had enough raw fish to last me three lifetimes."

Tara nodded. "Personally, I am going totally vegetarian when we get back. No meat. EVER again."

Nods of at least partial agreement from all the carnivores. Giles shook his huge head. "Not me. When we get back, I'm finding an all you can eat buffet that serves steak, and moving in."

"Here, here," Anya snorted, nodding her Rhino's head. "Meat is the way to go. Right now, I'd even eat bologna."

Xander balked. "You're kidding. You hate bologna, Ayn!"

She nodded. "I know. That's why I said 'right now', meaning that when we get back, I will probably not eat it."

Xander chuckled and nodded. "Oh yeah."

Spike looked at him curiously. "What about you, Harris? What's your food fantasy?"

Xander licked his lips. "A hot fudge sundae."

Moans all around.

The Hyena continued. "With three scoops of ice cream, caramel AND chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry on top."

By the time he was finished, everyone was in various stages of drooling. Spike licked his lips. "I've made a decision. When we get home, forget the salad. I'm eating all the chocolate I can find. And washing it down with hot cocoa-"

"And the little marshmallows!", Dawn chimed in, running her tongue over her tiny fangs.

Spike nodded. "I was just about to say that, Bit."

Xander stood up, and moved closer to the others. "Let's make a deal. When we get back, we're all going to a Baskin Robbins, and not leaving till we've tried all 31 flavors. Then we're going to a Golden Corral, and eating them out of business." Put a forepaw out. "Deal?"

Buffy was the first. "Deal." Laid her paw on top of his. Then Dawn, Spike, Willow, Tara, Anya, and finally Giles, the last two just hovering their paws over the others, due to their massive size.

After a few more moments of talking, mostly about food, the group continued their accent of the mountain.

It was getting dark, and cold. Very, very cold. More than any other night that they'd been there. Partially due to the coming winter, but also due to the higher altitude. Xander, Willow and Tara weren't having an easy time of it. Actually, no one was, but the three short furred animals the least of all. Willow and Tara had found a way to help, by riding on Giles' back, snuggled deep into his fur, but Xander was shivering as he walked in-between Giles and Anya. They were doing their best to knock the wind off of him, with their sheer, combined bulk, but it wasn't helping. Dawn was once again riding on Spike's back, and he and Buffy were walking very close together in front of Giles, pressing against each other for warmth and assurance.

Suddenly, Spike caught a strange scent. He paused in his tracks, nearly causing the Mammoth behind him to plow into him. No one said anything. They wanted to give the vampire/wolf time to lock onto whatever scent he was tracking. He looked behind him, up at Giles. "Rupert, I smell sulfur. Give a sniff."

Everyone raised their snouts, and drew in puffs of frigid air, letting out little snorts of steam on every exhale. One by one, they all picked up on it. Buffy looked to Spike. "What is it?"

He sped up a little, indicating that the others should follow. "If I'm right, it's a warm place to sleep." That got everyone's attention, really fast, and they trotted to catch up with the Dire Wolf. Found him standing in the mouth of a cave. "Come on in, guys. The water's fine." Trotted into the cave, while the others exchanged confused looks. Water? Followed him in, one at a time. Soon, it became evident what he was talking about.

Hot springs! There were hot springs inside the cave! Little bowl like impressions of nicely heated water spaced almost evenly around the cave. Xander gave a whoop, and jumped into one. "Ahhhhhh. Warm. Really warm. Finally." Grinned at the others. "Hey, guys! Join me in the Spa De La Ice Age!"

Willow and Tara didn't need much coaxing, and quickly found two puddles that were about the right size for them. The others were warm enough, and just settled down around the large cave, near the bubbling heat sources. All, that is, except for Spike. He followed a scent deeper into the cave. The deeper in he got, the warmer it got. Until it was just plain HOT in there. Still, he was curious, and kept going, unaware that a Smilodon was following him. He reached what almost appeared to be a cliff, looked over the edge, and froze.

There, about a mile below him, was a red/orange glow, and a very disturbing bubbling sound. The heat was tremendous, and the scars on his face from where Buffy had slashed him a week and a half earlier were starting to sting with all the sulfur in the air. His eyes hurt as well. Still, he couldn't stop staring. When Buffy came up next to him, she nearly scared the wolf out of his skin.

"Whew. Why's it so hot in here?"

He yipped, and looked at her. "Bloody.. Slayer! Don't do that!"

She backed up a step. "Geez! Sorry."

He shook his head. "Not your fault, luv." Swallowed, and began heading back to the others, Buffy on his heels.

"Spike? What was that?"

"Magma."

"Magma?"

Spike stopped once he'd gotten far enough away from the pit that his eyes weren't hurting anymore. "Lava, Buffy. Molten lava."

She cocked her head, then sat down abruptly. "You mean we're... This is.."

He nodded gravely. "Right on both counts, luv. We're inside a bleedin' volcano."

Author's Notes 2: insert dramatic music here Surprise, surprise... Here's what I was going to say earlier: My research shows that a small range of mountains existed along the San Andreas fault during the last ice age. Theoretically, (as shown in the movie Volcano), that fault line could spawn a volcano, or a series of them. For the purposes of this fic, let's assume it did. Thank you. Please review.


	12. Chapter 11: Smoke Screen

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.  
  
Author's Notes: I'm soooooo sorry for the huge delay, guys. I know it was before Halloween that I posted last, and I apologize. To make up for it, I'll be back to updating once a week, now. To tell you the truth, a couple of people who reviewed, complaining about the songs, really hurt my feelings and I just couldn't find the inspiration to write on this for awhile. I really only have one other song I want to use, and it won't come up for awhile. This story is my baby. My favorite of all my chaptered fics (and yes, I know there aren't that many chaptered fics that I've done), and involving quite a few of my favorite things. Well, one of my favorite things happens to be music. I do almost all of my writing listening to songs that remind me of the sequence that I have set before myself this time. All I'm trying to do is give you all the ability to see this story the way I do. I'm sorry if my music, and/or this 'rant' has offended anyone. Thank you for reading.  
  
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Chapter 11  
Smoke Screen  
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Spike couldn't sleep. The deep breathing of the others spaced around the cave wasn't helping this time. Even Buffy had dozed off, after awhile, despite wanting to stay up with him. Despite *knowing* what he knew.   
  
They'd decided to keep it to themselves for the night. No need to frighten them. They'd need their sleep in order to get the rest of the way to the summit of the mountain- the volcano, the next day.   
  
The next day which was rapidly approaching, and Spike still hadn't slept.  
  
With a sigh, he got up and walked to the mouth of the cave, just out of reach of the freezing wind outside. Looked up at the stars. They'd always been a source of comfort for him, always the same, no matter where he was.  
  
No matter *when* he was, either.  
  
"Hey, uh.. Evil Dead," came a voice from behind him. A moment later, a Giant Hyena came up near him. "What's with the midnight disappearing act?"  
  
Spike gave a half-hearted snort at Xander. "No disappearing. I just didn't feel like bein' in there right now. I can't sleep."  
  
Xander yawned, sitting down and scratching his side with a hind paw absently. "Well, neither can I."  
  
Spike gave him a look. "You were unconcious when I left, Harris."  
  
He shrugged. "Yeah, well. I can't sleep now." He looked at the Dire Wolf. "Are we where I think we are?"  
  
"Don't know what you're gettin' at, mate."  
  
Xander snorted and pawed the ground a little. "Like hell you don't. Are we or are we not in a volcano?"  
  
Spike looked at the Hyena, suprised. "You knew?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah. Well, I guessed. I didn't sleep through *all* of High School, you know. I know that we're on a fault line. And I know that the Tar Pits are a... uh.."  
  
"Manifestation of the turmoil just beneath the earth's crust?"  
  
Xander nodded again. "Yeah. Well, I was gonna say 'evidence that the hot stuff is alot closer to the surface back home'." He chuckled.  
  
Spike laughed. "That works, too." He cocked his head at the Hyena. "You aren't worried about this?"  
  
He shook his head. "Not really." Chuckled. "Then again, I can't sleep anymore either."  
  
Small laugh from the wolf. "Yeah." Quietly. "Buffy knows. We were gonna tell everyone in the mornin'."  
  
Xander nodded, then cleared his throat. "Speaking of Buffy..."  
  
Spike sighed. He'd been expecting this, ever since Buffy had confessed her love for him. Now it was Harris' turn to give him the 'she isn't thinking clearly' or the 'it's just the circumstances, she doesn't really care' speeches. "What, Harris?" He turned his back on the Hyena as he spoke, lying down on his belly. Braced himself for the tirade.  
  
"I'm sorry about how I've treated you." The words were so quiet, Spike was almost unsure if he'd actually 'heard' them.  
  
He sat up and turned his head to look at Xander. The Hyena was sitting, head hanging, drawing on the ground with a forepaw. "What?"  
  
Deep sigh. "Look, don't rub it in, okay? Buffy told us all. She told us that you knew about her being in Heaven from the beginning. She told us how you were there when none of us were. She told us how she used you, and hurt you. And I just figured that I should tell you that... that you didn't deserve anything that I've said. Probably for most of the last two years. And I know an apology won't make up for any emotional hurt that I've caused, (if you even took any notice of it at all), but I just figured that I should say it anyway. So I'm sorry."  
  
Spike was suddenly glad that the Hyena wasn't looking at him, because his lower jaw was hanging open. The moment he was able to talk again, he gave the wolf version of a grin. "Apology accepted, Harr- Xander."  
  
The Hyena looked up, grinned. "Whew. I'm glad that's over. I thought you were gonna laugh at me or something. Thanks... Spike."  
  
The wolf chuckled. "Not a problem." Got up and walked over to the Hyena, giving him a friendly smack on the shoulder with a paw. "C'mon, let's go back inside. I don't know about you, but I'm startin' to get a bit cold."  
  
Xander laughed. "Sounds good to me.. mate."  
  
"You're pushin' it."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
============================================================================================  
  
"And one and two and one and two and one and- WHOA!"   
  
Dawn had been jumping from rock to rock, but one false landing and she slipped. Thankfully, Giles was right behind her, and caught her with his trunk. "Easy there, Dawn." He lifted her up and placed her on his back. "Perhaps you should ride for awhile. Till we get up to more stable ground."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
The group continued making their way up the mountain, which everyone was now thinking of as 'the volcano', with Dawn riding on Giles' back. As for the rest of the group, Xander was at the back, helping Anya see where she was going. The Rhino's nearsightedness was really becoming a problem on the slightly unstable ground, so Xander was being her 'Seeing-Eye Hyena'.  
  
"Rock. Ayn! Rock!"  
  
*Thump* "Ow."  
  
"I said 'rock', honey."  
  
"I heard you. I thought *that* was the rock." She gestured cumbersomly with one huge forefoot.  
  
Xander laughed. "No. That's Giles' back leg." He cocked his head. "I wonder when this stopped seeming the least bit weird."  
  
"About six years ago!", Buffy called from ahead of the Mammoth. She turned around, coming back to Xander. "I bet you wish you'd never picked up that stake, huh?"  
  
"What, are you kidding? And miss out on all of the chances to be eaten alive, possessed, or thrown back in time into the body of my least favorite animal?" Sarcasm. Dripping. But then he chuckled. "Of course not, Buff. I wouldn't miss a day, night, or apocolypse for the world."  
  
Buffy laughed and nuzzled him quickly, bumping her head on his shoulder. "Didn't think so."  
  
"Summit alert!", Willow called from the head of the group. She and Tara were small enough that they could easily skirt the cracks in the ground, without worrying about slipping as Dawn had. "Whoa... Guys, get up here! It's like something off the Discovery Channel!"  
  
Interested, Spike bounded ahead, leaping over two cracks to land next to the pair of Dinofelis. "What?"  
  
Tara motioned with a paw. "There. Look in the big bowl."  
  
"Bowl..?" Spike trotted up the edge of the 'bowl' as Tara had called it, and looked down. "Oh no...."  
  
"Cool, huh?", Willow said, moving up next to him. "The steam comes right up out of the ground down there."  
  
Spike shook his head. "Cool isn't the right word, Red. Look again. This volcano's cookin', and we're standing on top of the pot."  
  
The two cats looked at each other with wide green eyes. Tara looked at Spike. "Y-you mean that... it's gonna.. e-erupt?"  
  
Spike swallowed. "Yeah. It's just a question of when. But, from the looks of that," he said, motioning to the steam coming up from many vents in the plug down in the 'bowl'. "It's not gonna be long at all."  
  
=========================================================================================  
  
Authors Notes 2: Okay, sorry. No action here. But! I had to cut this in half. Because the action sequence made this chap like... twenty pages long. So the action is in the next chap, which will be up around next Wednesday or Thursday. Enjoy, and please review. Thank you. 


	13. Chapter 12: Walk Through The Fire

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of Prologue.

Author's Notes: grins Hey everyone! This is an exciting chap, if I do say so myself. Sorry for the long delay in updating, I know I'm a couple of days late. But I forgot about this week being Thanksgiving, and we had a lot of stuff to do. But, as compensation, this is a relatively long chapter. And I hope you enjoy the chapter title. My favorite song from OMWF.

**Chapter 12: Walk Through The Fire**

"It's WHAT!", Buffy said, trotting up next to Spike and the pair of Dinofelis'.

The wolf turned to look at his girlfriend. If he'd been in his normal body, he would've been chewing his lip, and she could tell. "I'm saying that we need to get down from here, and fast. Next earthquake, no matter how small, could set this thing off. And I for one don't want to be ON this mountain when it blows."

By that time, Giles and the others had caught up to them. The Mammoth held up his trunk. "Good lord... Let's get out of here."

On his back, Dawn moved up to stand atop the Mammoth's sloping forehead. "Wait a minute, are you guys saying that this thing is about to... erupt?"

THUNK! "Ow! Xander!"

"Sorry, honey. I missed that rock." The Hyena and Rhino came up near them. Xander took one look around and swallowed. "Uh oh. Not good, right?"

"That's an understatement," Spike muttered. He turned to face the others, literally barking orders. "Okay, come on, guys! Down the other side of the mountain! QUICKLY!"

The group didn't even question the former vampire's orders, almost as one, they began moving quickly around the edge of the 'bowl'. Or, rather, as quickly as they could. Anya and Giles weren't really built for running. About the best they could muster was a fast almost trot. And Anya's nearsightedness was also not conducive to quick movements.

They made it around the bowl, and started down the opposite side. "It'll be okay!", Spike yelled back to the others. "We'll be down before you know it!"

The volcano chose that moment to awaken.

The ground started shaking, throwing everyone off their feet, even Anya and Giles this time due to the slanting ground. And that wasn't all.

**_WHHIIIIIIIIIZZZZZ! BAM!_** Several trees about a hundred yards in front of the disoriented group suddenly burst into flames.

"Lava bombs!", Spike shouted, scrambling to his feet. "This volcano's blowin'!"

**_WWHHIIIIIIIIZZZZZ!_**

"DUCK!"

**_BOOOOMMM!_** Another clump of brush ignited, not ten yards from them.

Giles trumpeted defiantly, as Dawn scrambled back up onto his back.

Spike ran to Buffy's side and leaned hard against her, helping her to her feet. "Run! RUN! EVERYONE RUN!"

They all took off, half running, half slipping and sliding down the side of the volcano. More lava bombs whizzed overhead and all around them the landscape was exploding into flames as they hit.

**_WHIIIIZZZZZZ!_**

Spike looked up to see a lava bomb heading straight for Xander, who was still valiantly trying to guide his fiancé' over the unstable and now shaking ground. Spike charged and body slammed the Hyena, knocking him clear of the bomb's path.

**_BOOOM!_** The bomb hit about three feet from Spike, and the heat from it was enough to singe a patch of his fur clean off, and leave a minor burn on the skin beneath. He let out a howl of shock and pain, then snarled and climbed to his feet, shaking his head hard when he saw Buffy headed toward him. "NO! Keep going! We've got to keep going!"

She hesitated, but the moment that she saw him start running again, she took off as well. Lava bombs kept flying overhead, barely missing them several times. And then, suddenly, it was quiet. The panicked animals skidded to a stop, looking at each other and then up at the summit of the volcano. Dawn looked down off Giles' back. "Is it over?"

At that moment, all hell broke loose.

The ground shook hard, and a fountain of pure lava blew up out of the top of the volcano. Everyone's eyes grew wide, and Spike and Giles yelled in unison, "GO NOW!"

The group took off again, the fountain of lava sending it pouring down after them, and Giles and Anya quickly discovered that they could INDEED move much faster than they had been. Unfortunately for Anya, she was still nearsighted, and the ash darkened sky didn't help one bit.

**THUNK!**

She rammed horn first into a large boulder, sending it rolling down ahead of the group, causing a small avalanche, and causing her to stumble to her knees, shaking her head, disoriented by the smack.

"Ayn!", Xander yelped, skidding to a stop and running back to help her. "Hang on! I'm coming!"

Spike, too, changed direction, only he ran back to Giles. "Rupert! Rupert! Stop! Let Dawn down!"

"What? Are you nuts?", Dawn yelped from atop the Mammoth.

"Dawn, you need to ride Anya! Give her directions!"

Dawn's eyes got wide with understanding, and leaped from the Mammoth onto the wolf's back. "Okay. Let's go."

He turned and ran back to the struggling Rhino and Hyena, quickly explaining his plan and allowing Dawn to leap onto Anya's back. The foursome barely got underway again before the rushing lava caught up to them, singeing the fur on tails and hind legs, and also working as a great encouragement for them to speed up. Now the sounds of frantic paw beats was punctuated with Dawn's shouted directions to Anya. "LEFT! ROCK!"

The group kept running, and Spike got out ahead of them again, ignoring the pain from his minor burns. He skidded to a stop. A ravine. There was a ravine in the way. And there was no way that the group of them could make it around the far end of the ravine before the lava caught them. They were trapped.

Unless.

Spike ran along the edge of the ravine, running as fast as he could, skidding to a stop when he found what he needed. Trees. Two big trees. He ran back and got Giles and Anya to follow him. They quickly caught on to what he was doing, and immediately put their huge bodies to work pushing the trees over, bridging the ravine.

The group ran across, Giles and Spike bringing up the rear. Giles' huge weight made the trees begin to buckle, and they cracked before Spike could make his way completely across. Thankfully, Giles turned and managed to grab him with his trunk before he could fall into the ravine. They began to jog again, now having the reassurance that the lava would have to fill up the ravine before it could come after them again. Not to mention that the volcano had stopped fountaining lava, even though the sky was still darkened by falling ash, like a grey snow. For now, it seemed, the immediate danger had passed.

Spike sat just inside the cave that they had found, in the foot hills of the volcano and it's mountainous companions, licking at the burn on his side. It was painful, but instinct told him that it wasn't that bad. Everyone was nursing singed fur, but the burn that he had received from the lava bomb was by far the worst of all the injuries.

"Hey."

He looked up, cocking his head at the approaching Smilodon. "'Ello, luv. How are you doin'?"

She shrugged. "That's what I wanted to ask you." She sat down near him. "You saved our tails today. Repeatedly."

He chuckled. "No. Rupert and Anya were the heroes. If it wasn't for them, my bridge idea wouldn't have worked."

She nuzzled him gently. "One of the things I love about you: modesty." She grinned to let him know that she was kidding.

He shook his head. "Yeah. I'm really modest." Sighed. "We're gonna have to get moving again in the morning. Quickly. There's no promise that the volcano's done erupting. In fact, I'm almost certain that it is going to go off again. When Mt. Saint Helen's blew, it went off with a force greater than the Hiroshima bomb. This little bugger hasn't let off half that much energy yet." He sighed. "I don't think we're out of the woods yet."

She sighed and leaned against him, careful to avoid the burn on his side. "Yeah. I know. Giles told us just about the same thing awhile ago." Nuzzled her head under his chin. "I want to go home."

"Me too, luv. Me too."

Author's Notes 2: I hope you enjoyed this! Happy Thanksgiving and please review!


	14. Chapter 13: It's All Relative

Disclaimer, Summary, ect: See beginning of prologue.

**Chapter 13: It's All Relative**

Spike couldn't sleep that night. Not just the burn, for it was already healing nicely, but a certain... feeling. Just something in his gut that wouldn't go away. A feeling that someone, someone he had a link to, wasn't there anymore. He couldn't figure it out. All the Scoobies were accounted for. Safe and sound, but...

The wolf pack. Something had happened.

Carefully, he got up, moving from his place at Buffy's side, and walked out of the cave. Once he was outside, he climbed up one of the higher foothills surrounding the volcano, sat down, took a deep breath, threw his head back, and let out a long, loud howl.

"OOOooowwwwwWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He cocked his head, listening. No answer. He tried again.

"Ow ow ow ow ow OOOWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

His ears perked up as he heard a, very distant, answering sound.

"..ooooowwwwwooooooooooo!" Beauty. That had to be Beauty.

He deliberately focused his thoughts, sending them along with his next howl, hoping that the wolf would get the message. "Is everyone alright? No pack members lost in the firestorm?"

He closed his eyes, focusing, trying to pick up on the wolf's instincts for understanding it's own species calls. To his surprise, it worked, and he made out the gist of the message Beauty sent back. "Incomplete. Not from fire-mountain. Two-leggeds... took pups.. Little Will..."

Spike froze. His wolf's son, Little Will, captured by... Two-leggeds? Human? No. Probably Neanderthals. Perfect. He howled back, "Where did they take him?"

"Pack campsite... four days travel from fire-mountain.. Can not go to him..."

"Why not?"

"Two-leggeds, dangerous. Use us for hunt... hurt adults... only pups..."

So that was it. The Neanderthals took Dire Wolf pups, and trained them for hunting. Well, that was it. He'd have to get his son back. He wouldn't let the wolf's family be broken up because of him. The pack wouldn't even BE where they were, if Beauty hadn't coaxed them to follow him. This was his fault, and he WOULD make it right... somehow. He communicated this back to Beauty, and spent the next few minutes trying to reassure her that he wouldn't be hurt. Then they... 'hung up the phone', for want of a better term.

He got up slowly, moving on almost silent paws back into the group's cave, settling back down next to Buffy. He'd have to do something about this. Gave a yawn. First thing in the morning.

"Wait a minute. You want us to what?"

Spike sighed. "For the fourth time. The son of my wolf's body has been captured by Neanderthals. If it weren't for us bein' here, it wouldn't have happened. So I am going to get him back."

Buffy cocked her head. "No."

Spike looked at his girlfriend. "What? Buffy, I have to. It's my-"

She moved close to him and held up a paw to silence him. "I meant no, you're not going to get him back." She motioned to the rest of the group. "WE are going to get him back with you."

Spike blinked, and looked around, surprised to see all the other assembled animals nodding slowly. He gave the wolf version of a smile, and a soft chuckle. "Well. What brought this on?"

Dawn trotted over and tapped his paw. "Remember when we all went to see Lilo & Stitch?"

Spike cocked his head down at her. "Yeah. Funny movie, Bit, but I don't see why you're bringin' it up now."

She gave a mini-Smilodon smile and quoted, "Ohana means family. And family means no one gets left behind.."

"Or forgotten," Buffy finished, bumping her little sister with her snout before nuzzling Spike. "No one. And Little Will is your wolf's family."

Giles nodded his huge head. "Quite right. We won't let the little guy stay a prisoner for long." He touched Spike's back gently with his trunk, ruffling the fur a little. "We have a puppy to save."

Xander grinned. "We're off to save the puppy!", he sang, to the tune of The Wizard of Oz.

"STOP!", Spike and Buffy said at once, then looked at each other and laughed. Buffy walked over to Xander and gave him a gentle swat with one frying pan sized paw, claws carefully retracted. "Don't quote that movie. The last time someone quoted that movie, we wound up living a twisted version of it. Or, at least, I did... and it was a dream, but still."

Willow cocked her head. "You had a dream about the Wizard of Oz?"

Spike chuckled. "S'long story, Red. No need to go into it now."

"She told you about it, but didn't tell us?", Tara asked.

Spike gave a shrug. "Well, she had to. When someone wakes up screamin' next to you, you tend to- OOF!"

Buffy had pounced the wolf. "And stop right there, thank you very much." She let him up, shaking her head. "We need to have a talk about privacy, Spike."

He shook himself and gave a playful growl. "Wasn't gonna say anythin' else, pet. Honestly."

"Right. And I'm Minnie Mouse."

"Oh.. fire. That's gonna be a problem...", Xander muttered.

They were all up on a small hill, over looking the Neanderthal's encampment. The hominids were very well organized, and had several cage like things spaced around the camp, some holding Dire Wolf puppies, some holding Protohippus (perhaps for food, or maybe to ride, it wasn't clear), and an enclosure that seemed full of...

"Dear lord... Those are Mammoth bones..," Giles said quietly, absently touching his own tusks with his trunk. "Do you think they hunt Mammoths?"

Spike shrugged. "If the paleontological evidence is correct, they MIGHT have hunted. But it's far more likely that they just scavenge." He eyed the bone pile. "Still, that is an awful lot for just scavengin'..."

Giles swallowed.

Xander shifted on his paws nervously. "Okay, so... how do we do this?"

Buffy crouched next to Spike. "Hope you've got a plan, Spike... Cause, at the moment, I'm to angry to have one." She growled softly in punctuation.

Spike nodded slowly. "Ever seen The Lost World: Jurassic Park?"

There were nods and sounds of agreement all around.

Spike grinned. "We're trashin' the camp. Break the cages, the pups AND the Protos. Anya, you and Rupert can take care of that part. Then us predators'll go down there and make sure that these human wannabe's know who the TOP carnivores are on this plain. We're not gonna hurt any of 'em, got it? No injuries allowed. And don't trash anything to the point where they can't rebuild it. We can't mess with history any more than necessary."

"What if they have spears?", Dawn asked quietly from her perch on Giles' back.

Spike sighed. "We do somethin' I'm pretty good at. Avoid the pointy end."

That got a small nervous laugh from the assembled animals. Once they had quieted, Giles said. "When do we go?"

Spike growled softly. "Sundown. We can see better in the dark than they can. It'll give us the element of surprise. Maybe we can release the captives without havin' to trash the entire settlement."

Giles nodded. "Sounds good. Everyone? Let's all go rest until sundown. We'll need our strength."

As the others turned to walk away, Spike took one last look down at the encampment. "Don't worry, little mate," he said quietly. "I'm comin' for you."

_(UPDATED AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, this is it. THIS is where this fiction died five years ago. But look! The next chapter button works now! So read the rest, and enjoy. It's updated, it's finished. We're DONE!  )_

Author's Notes: I'm sorry both for the inordinately long delay, and the short chapters, guys. Christmas is coming and both my parents birthdays, and I've been really busy. This is probably the last chap till after New Years, but the next one will be exciting. I think there are three more chaps, and this one will be finished. Look for an update on Don't Let Go in a couple of days, too... Or maybe later tonight, if I can swing it.

-Tiger


	15. Chapter 14: Alls Well That Ends

Disclaimer, Summary, ect.: See beginning of Prologue

_(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, I know… Three years is a long time to wait, but my muse left me in a serious way. I have written other things since this, and they can be found on my newer account, Darkwolf-Untamed. But now, I finally present to you, the conclusion (sans epilogue) of Out Of Time: Pleistocene Panic. Enjoy, and PLEASE review.  )  
_

**Chapter 14: All's Well That Ends**

The sun began its slow decent in the Pleistocene sky, and the small army prepared for battle. Two Dinofelis, one Mammoth, one Woolly Rhino, one Giant Hyena, two Smilodons, and one Dire Wolf spoke in quiet tones, confirming their plans. There was just one thing that none of them had counted on.

"It's REALLY dim. Look at it," Dawn said worriedly, lifting her amulet with a paw. In the four day rush to reach the Neanderthal camp, no one had noticed how drastically the amulet had dimmed. No one had even really looked at it since that night in the volcano caves.

"Buggerin' hell," Spike muttered, glaring at the amulet. "We don't have much time at all… N'I'm too worried 'bout Little Will to focus on where we are. Buffy?"

The Smilodon cocked her head, then shook it. "I FEEL the Hellmouth, but… It's either so close I can't tell, or… something those creepy guys down there are doing is throwing me off."

Spike nodded. "That's pretty much what I'm feelin', too." He paced to the edge of the rise and peered down at the Neanderthal camp. The makeshift cages the Protohippus and Dire Wolf pup were in, were in plain sight of the center of the camp. The fire in the center seemed to be the focus of the twenty or so Neanderthal males that crowded around it, though. Maybe they'd be able to break the animals out without even alerting the pseudo-humans. Spike said as much.

"Luv, you and I could probably sneak down there, open the cages, n'let the animals out 'fore those knuckle-draggers even notice what we're doin'," he finished with a swish of his tail.

"Whatever you say, Spike," Buffy said with a slight Smilodon version of a smile at him. "After all, it is your kid we're going down there to rescue."

"If either of you get into any trouble," Giles said worriedly, looming over them as only a Mammoth can. "Just give us a roar or a howl, and we'll be down there in-"

"Two shakes of a Mammoth's tail," Xander finished with a smirk, then nimbly danced to one side, avoiding the pachyderm's gentle trunk swipe.

"Yes. Something like that, at least," the Watcher acquiesced, a small smile in his voice. After all, this group had faced down a Hell Goddess. How could a pack of twenty or so Neanderthals be any worse?

Spike and Buffy began to make their way down the hill, slinking side by side until they were too close to the camp to risk their own nearness. At that moment, they shared a short nuzzle before parting ways, Buffy heading for the corral-like cage that held the Protohippus, and Spike working his way closer to the fire to free his 'son'.

Spike's job was made much more difficult by the fact that the Neanderthals were attempting to acclimate the wolf pup to the scents and sights of the human camp. As a result, they had moved his cage just outside the ring of firelight where they were gathered. Rhythmic grunts and other noises came from the 'people' gathered around the fire, but they remained oblivious to the adult male Dire Wolf slowly slinking through the outer edges of the camp.

Buffy, on the other hand, was able to reach the Protohippus corral rather easily. Almost too easily. Had she been dealing with Glory, or some other Big Bad back home in Sunnydale, she would've been far more cautious. But this was just some primitive human beings, and their semi-horses. She wasn't particularly worried. And, in not being worried, she made her first mistake.

Spike, meanwhile, had made it almost to his son's cage, and whispered in quiet thought to the pup, careful not to allow his body to make any noises of it's own. "Little Will… It's me. It's… it's your dad, mate. Try n'relax, now… I'm almost there. I'll get you out…"

The pup, hearing the now familiar voice, whined softly, and the Neanderthal closest to the cage lightly tapped the bars with a stick, causing the pup to cower away. Spike could see now that what he saw from a distance as a cage was actually ten spears driven into the ground point first, forming a basically impenetrable barrier, especially for a pup as young as Little Will. No door to open, either. The only way to get the pup out would be to pull one of the spears out of the ground, or break it. As option two seemed predestined to failure, (the Neanderthals would've had to be deaf not to hear the spear break), Spike chose the first option. He slowly slunk closer in preparation to wrap his jaws around a spear and yank it out of the ground in one smooth move. "Alright, Pup… be ready to run soon as I've got this thing…"

As he craned his neck and carefully fitted his mouth around the spear, fully aware that this put his nose INTO the ring of fire light by at least an inch, a sound from somewhere out of a wild west movie nearly shocked him clean out of his skin.

Horses were screaming, Hooves were being panickedly pounded against wood. It sounded as if an all out stampede was beginning in the corral. And it was then that Buffy and Spike, in unison, realized their biggest mistake: They were thinking too much like humans.

When Buffy went to rescue the horses, they didn't see a savior, they saw a predator trying to get into a place where they were already trapped. Terrified, the first Protohippus to spot the Smilodon had screamed, which set off the rest of the animals in the corral.

Buffy panicked, as much as her Slayer and Smilodon instincts would allow. "Shh! Shut up, you stupid bags of glue! Quiet, before- AH!" A spear arched through the air and buried itself in the ground half a foot in front of Buffy's paws. Half of the Neanderthals were shouting while tossing spears and rocks at her, while the other half gathered more deadly weapons to dispatch the predator.

"SPIKE!" Buffy shouted, her Smilodon's voice letting out a roar that made at least some of the Neanderthals freeze for only a moment.

Spike, mere inches from rescuing Little Will, did the only thing he could think of. He threw his head back and howled, trying to make his wolf's voice sound as deep and menacing as possible. His ruse worked, and the other half of the Neanderthals quickly turned and advanced on him. He growled and raised the hackles down his back, baring his formidable teeth, but still backed away. "Buffy! Get away from 'em! I've got these guys distracted – YIPE – over here!" The yipe mid sentence came from the fact that a spear had just missed Spike's head by an even narrower margin than one had missed Buffy moments earlier.

However, Buffy's roar and Spike's howl had more than the desired effect. Charging down the hill behind them came the cavalry, all five or so tons of it. A Mammoth, a Woolly Rhino, a Giant Hyena, and two Dinofelis barreled down on the camp with a sound like an earthquake. The tide had turned.

Giles trumpeted angrily and proceeded to completely smash one of the mammoth-bone houses that was in construction. Swinging his tusks at the Neanderthals any time they tried to stop him. Spears missed or simply buried in his thick fur, about as effective as a few annoying mosquitoes when it came to stopping the violently angry Mammoth.

Dawn rode atop Anya, shouting directions to the charging Rhino. Though, all too often, the directions weren't taken quite the way intended.

"Anya! House! House! RIGHT!" **CRASH**!

"Where is it? Is it gone?", Anya shouted, swinging her head, ears swiveling to face the juvenile Smilodon on her back. "Did we miss it?"

"Uh… Sort of," the younger Summers replied, smacking away a piece of the aforementioned house with her paw. "It's definitely gone, anyway... Now go right!"

Meanwhile, Xander, Willow, and Tara were making themselves known. Snarling and growling, they managed to force the group of Neanderthals surrounding Buffy to back down. And, in the process, Xander broke the corral, releasing the Protohippus after all, and adding to the melee as a stampede blasted through the camp.

Meanwhile, Spike had managed to escape from his attackers and was attempting to sneak through the violence back to his pup's cage. But just as he was within leaping distance, one of the Neanderthals spotted him and, instead of attacking HIM, reached into the cage and lifted the pup out by the scruff of it's little neck, and held his spear to it's throat. Spike froze and growled.

The Neanderthal almost smirked at him, in a way that sickeningly reminded him of Angelus. Suddenly, he caught a scent. An incredibly familiar scent. And from the look on Little Will's face, the pup smelled it too. Instead of attacking, Spike raised his head and let out a long howl. A howl that was answered from the opposite hilltop from where the Scoobies had descended on the camp.

Beauty and the other Wolves flowed over the hill and down into the battle, and Beauty flew toward the Neanderthal threatening her mate and her pup. The Neanderthal panicked, looking at the pure white wolf advancing on him. That instant was all that Spike needed.

He launched himself at the Neanderthal, snatched Little Will out of the primitive person's grasp, and knocked the man to the ground in the process. Beauty leaped and landed on the fallen Neanderthal, but Spike dropped his pup quick enough to knock Beauty off of him. "NO! We don't kill anyone! PLEASE, Beauty, luv… You gotta understand me. We don't KILL ANYONE!"

It seemed as if she understood, for, as the terrified Neanderthal began to crawl away, she didn't follow him. Instead, she nuzzled her mate before picking up her pup in her mouth and quickly fleeing the scene. Her mate would follow when he was finished with his other pack. She knew that now. He'd risked everything to save her son… They all had. She would never look at those particular animals the same again.

Spike watched her go, then leaped out of his skin at a trumpet of pain from the center of the camp. "RUPERT!" He turned and ran as quickly as he could.

The Mammoth was surrounded by Neanderthals in the center of the camp. The fire was still burning, though it had spread a bit beyond it's firepit. Giles was still standing, but a spear sticking out of the Mammoth's thigh was protruding too solidly to simply be stuck in hair.

He swung his tusks menacingly, but couldn't protect all sides at once, and Spike could see what Rupert couldn't. Two Neanderthals were sneaking in close with the intent to slice the tendons in his hind legs with their sharp spear points. They were going to hamstring the Mammoth. Spike snarled. There was NO way he was letting that happen. "SCOOBIES! Center of the camp! STAND TOGETHER!"

The code had been Dawn's idea, and apparently had something to do with the Disney movie "Dinosaur", but Spike didn't have any time to contemplate it's meaning. He leaped clear over the line of Neanderthals and turned so his back was to Giles' back, baring his fangs and snapping. "Back off, wankers!"

The other Scoobies immediately withdrew from their own fights, and within an instant, were all gathered around Giles, whether they were able to muscle their way through the circle of Neanderthals or whether they had to simply leap over them, they were there, protecting their own. Their family.

The Neanderthals were now faced with something beyond precedent. A Mammoth, a Smilodon, a Dire Wolf, two Dinofelis, a Woolly Rhino, and a Giant Hyena, all standing together, forming an impenetrable wall of fangs, claws, horn and tusks, defending each other from harm. It was a stand off. It was a stalemate.

The two groups glared at each other for a few short moments that seemed to stretch into eternity, even as the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon. Seconds crept into minutes, and no one moved. The only sound was the heavy breathing of the injured Mammoth, and the low growls of his compatriots.

Then, suddenly, the Neanderthals withdrew. They backed away as far as they could, then turned and ran. It was over. The Scoobies had won.

Dawn squealed excitedly and hugged the back of Anya's head, and then everyone turned to look at Giles, who was still standing up, but his eyes were wrinkled in pain.

"Giles?", Buffy asked softly, placing a paw on his front leg.

"No, Buffy… I will handle it." Slowly, the Mammoth curled his own trunk around and wrapped it around the spear, then quickly yanked it from his thigh with a grunting trumpet of pain and tossed it away. The blood matted the fur quickly, and made it difficult to see just how bad the wound actually was. But as Giles shifted his weight onto and off of that leg, while everyone else watched him in worried silence, the pain seemed to ease. Finally, Giles breathed a soft sigh of relief. "Skin only, I believe… It doesn't seem to have gone deep enough to cause any lasting damage."

The surge of relief was palpable, and everyone immediately swarmed the Watcher, nuzzling and offering support and praise for his bravery. It was a classic 'post end-of-world' party, much like the ones they'd had after every near-apocalypse since the beginning of the Scooby Gang. Every averted apocalypse, that is, except the last one. There had been nothing to celebrate after losing Buffy. In this moment, though, it seemed that the last vestiges of the pain from that long summer were finally lifted from the group as a whole. Everyone could breathe again. Weights they hadn't even known they'd had were lifted, and once more they were all together.

Dawn smiled her little Smilodon smile, looking at her family. And finally, they all WERE a family. From Buffy and Spike, FINALLY a couple, to Xander and Anya, who would be married before the end of the year and be her aunt and uncle even more than they were now, to Giles, a father figure to them all, and finally to Willow and Tara, her aunts who she loved more now than ever. They were a family… A real family. And it finally seemed to Dawn that there was enough time at last.

Suddenly, though, everyone felt their stomachs lurch at once. A sick, dizzy feeling washed over them, and Dawn suddenly realized that the amulet around her neck had FINALLY stopped glowing. The spell was broken… But… where WERE they? Where would they end up…

One at a time, they all felt the disconcerting sensation of being without physical bodies as their spirits, their very essences were lifted from the animals they had inhabited for so long, and slowly pulled into the air. But, instead of the swirling maelstrom that had greeted their initial decent into this incredible ancient world, they could still SEE the animals beneath them.

They could see the Smilodon and Dire Wolf, nuzzling only moments before, now regarding each other with mistrust and barely contained violence before the Smilodon scooped up her cub in her mouth and took off at a run. The wolf raised his head and howled, then headed quickly off in the direction of the answering howl, returning to his pack.

The pair of Dinofelis hissed viciously at the Giant Hyena, who snickered at them and bared his teeth, but he knew better than to threaten a pair of cats like that while he was on his own. It was only a moment before he too turned and ran, as the Dinofelis took off in opposite directions.

The Mammoth stood there placidly, knowing he was far too large to worry about the predators milling about underfoot, and absently used his trunk to prod the wound on his side. It would heal in time for his next musth, and he would be healthy and fit when it came time to seek a mate. On the other hand, he didn't like the smell of all the Neanderthals about, and lumbered away from the wrecked encampment, pulling up chunks of brush and eating as he went. Meanwhile, the Woolly Rhino, unsure where she was, trailed after the Mammoth. She couldn't see very well, but she knew that the smell of Mammoth meant trampled food she could eat. And food was always good.

The consciousnesses in the vortex remained aware of their surroundings only long enough to see their former bodies getting on with their lives. It was only a moment later before they finally lost all connections, to each other, and to that world, and were gone.

Silence.

(Epilogue Coming Soon)


	16. Epilogue: Well

_(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ha. FINALLY, it's finished. The end of Out Of Time: Pleistocene Panic is finally here! Thanks, if anyone waited… And thanks, even if you didn't. I know it's finished… and that's good enough for me.)_

**EPILOGUE: …Well**

Spike groaned softly as he woke up. He felt like he'd been hit over the head with a large rock, or stepped on by a Mammoth. A Mammoth? Giles! He'd been hurt, and there was… there was… hands, in front of him. Hands? HIS hands!

He leaped off his sarcophagus, knocking the dictionary and Boggle timer onto the floor in the process. He was back! He was… alone? But… the others…

Buffy made a face and spit out a mouth full of grass. Ew. How'd she get grass in her mouth? She sat up… and couldn't quite get all four legs under her properly. She felt dizzy and confused, and… 'Jackson Johanson, Born 1932 – Died 1985'.

A tombstone? The.. She lifted her head. Yes, it was! The Johanson's big concrete angel headstone! She was back! She was human! She stood up shakily and had to grab the headstone to keep from falling over. However long she'd been stuck in that Smilodon body, it had sure thrown off her balance. She giggled softly. What would Spike say if he saw her hugging a concrete… SPIKE! She turned and RAN for his crypt.

Giles felt distinctly like he had had FAR too much to drink. His tongue was fuzzy. Instinctively, he tried to move his trunk to feel in his mouth and see what was stuck there… But his trunk didn't respond. Groggily, he opened his eyes. How deep had that spear gone, anyway? And what was… his… flat?

He was back? He was… He was back! In London, in his flat! In… London. Thousands of miles away from his family.

Well, that just wouldn't do. He quickly picked up the phone and made arrangements for the first flight back to Sunnydale.

Willow and Tara fell off their chairs in unison. It would've been hilarious, (and was to everyone else in the coffeehouse), if it hadn't been so confusing. Chairs? People? They were back! And it was as if they'd never been gone. "Our coffee is still hot!" Willow squealed excitedly. Tara grinned and kissed her girlfriend.

"GOD, I'd missed that," Willow moaned, almost purring, then they both froze.

"The Scoobies!", they said in unison… and rushed out of the coffeehouse without even bothering to FINISH their coffee.

Xander and Anya woke up at almost the same moment. Xander, however, woke up a moment earlier. He knew he was awake first because HE was the one who grabbed his fiancé' and kissed her fiercely, rather than the other way around.

"We're back, Anya!", he laughed after they broke the kiss. Anya, for her part, looked a bit dazed. Whether that was from the time travel or the kiss, she wasn't really sure. "We're completely back! We're us! We're here!"

"Where are the others, though?", the former vengeance demon slurred slightly. That made Xander stop for a moment… then grab their coats.

"Come on, honey… We're going to a family reunion."

Within twelve hours, EVERYONE was all together in the Magic Box. To a casual Scooby observer, not much would seem to have changed. After all, these were the same people who'd gathered there earlier that week, with the exception of the older, distinguished-looking librarian. But to the trained eye, there were many subtle, but exceedingly important differences.

Spike and Buffy, who before had reluctantly been in the same room with each other, and usually with a bit of distance between them, were now sitting side by side. Half the time, the petite Slayer was sitting in the vampire's lap. They nuzzled, played and laughed as if they'd been together for months. Love was so apparent from simply looking at them, that you couldn't help getting a warm fuzzy feeling in your stomach just from being near them for any length of time.

Xander and Anya, who less than a week ago had been in violent debate over something as trivial as the seating arrangement at their wedding, now were focused on the fact that there would BE a wedding. As much in love as if they were already newlyweds, they spent more time together than one would have thought healthy if they didn't know them. Now, all the Scoobies were in on the wedding plans together. Giles was to give Anya away, Dawn would be the flower girl, and Spike would be the best man, while Buffy and Willow both carried the Maid of Honor role. It would be a beautiful wedding. Not because of where anyone sat, or what they ate, but because of the love contained by the group at the heart of it.

Willow and Tara were making plans to move out of the Summers house and get a place of their own. Willow had finally managed to COMPLETELY kick her magic addiction, seemingly overnight to anyone who hadn't spent all that time without access to even a single spell ingredient, and Tara loved her all the more for it.

Giles had taken his old apartment back, moving back to Sunnydale full time. Watcher and father figure for Buffy and the Scoobies, drinking buddy for Spike, and just one of the group on nights like this, everything seemed perfect finally.

And Dawn, finally, felt that her family was whole. Together, with enough time for everyone, every day. There was always someone to talk to, from Spike to Giles. There was always someone to help her with her homework, or go to the mall with. There was always someone to watch movies or just hang out with. THIS was what a family was all about. And for someone who'd started her life as a ball of green mystical energy, she figured she hadn't done too bad for herself.

Buffy laughed at something Spike said and lightly bopped him on the back of the head with her hand. "Oh, shut up. I'm turning on the TV." She got up and went over, flicking on the TV sitting on the counter, showing the news, before going back and flopping in Spike's lap again.

Dawn blinked suddenly, looking up from her Earth Science homework. "Oh! I forgot…" She fished in her pocket and pulled out the now completely dark amulet, looking guiltily at Anya. "I want to put this back…"

Anya raised an eyebrow. "Why?", she asked bluntly. "It has no use now… Time Shifters are one use items… You might as well keep it."

Dawn blushed, but smiled. Even useless, the amulet was still pretty. "Thank you," she said happily, slipping it back into her pocket, then blinked and pulled out the piece of paper that had been in there with it. "Oh! My permission slip… Buffy, I need… uh…" She looked at the slip again, taking in the images of the Smilodons, Dire Wolves, Woolly Rhinos, and Mammoths gracing the slip. "Well, I thought I needed to go on this fieldtrip…"

Xander craned his neck over to look. "Let me see?" He looked at the slip and made a face. "Uh, Dawn? I think we've ALL had enough of that time."

"Yeah," Dawn said with a giggle. "That's EXACTLY what I was thinking." She held the slip up so the others could see, and everyone laughed. "I think I'll just skip this trip."

Xander snatched the slip from her hand and made a face at it. "Know what? How come you NEVER see any Giant Hyenas on these things, huh? I mean, it's like a… conspiracy…" He trailed off, since everyone was laughing at him, then dropped the slip and joined in the laughter. "Okay, okay… So maybe I don't HATE them anymore, alright?"

"I thought you made a handsome hyena, Xander," Anya said, kissing him gently. But her statement set everyone off again.

"Hey! Everyone, shhhh!", Willow said suddenly, pointing at the TV. "Look! It's the Tar Pits."

Everyone quieted down and looked at the TV, as the News Announcer said:

"And in other news, the largest Saber-Toothed Cat skull in recorded history has been unearthed in Pit 91 at L.A.'s famous La Brea Tar Pits. Scientists say that this cat had to have been bigger in life than any previously discovered, and there is some debate among Paleontologists if this is truly a specimen of Smilodon Californicus, or if it is a new species of cat entirely. Further testing will be conducted-" The announcer was cut off when Spike muted the TV.

"Oh, it was a bleedin' Smilodon, alright," the vampire muttered. "Just a BIG one."

Dawn grinned and hugged him. "And you faced it just to save me." She kissed Spike's cheek. "I love you."

Spike grinned. "Thanks, Nibblet."

Buffy playfully batted Dawn away. "Hey, paws off my boyfriend, Dawnie." The 'boyfriend' statement, however, made Spike grin from ear to ear, and sent everyone else into giggles once again.

Dawn just smiled.

_THE END_


End file.
